Some parents enjoy having their children involved in making home buying decisions along with them at the shows. But is it worth the risk? One Utah-based Realtor says no.
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Home buyers often see buying a home as akin to seeking a sanctuary – a place where they, their family and friends will all be welcome and safe.
But what if something goes wrong in the house that shows that it destroys that security?
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The horrific accident involving a 6-year-old girl at one of Karina VanOrman’s home games in South Ogden, Utah, is one of the reasons why she decided to recommend that children not attend shows with their parents.
In a story Lehi, a Utah-based Real Brokerage agent shared on TikTok last week, VanOrman described how her client’s young daughter’s excitement led to a scary flight to the hospital.
“Kids will be running home watching it,” VanOrman said on TikTok, which has garnered nearly 67,000 views. “Like all children do. Children are tired of looking at houses. Parents look at every detail … and the kids are like pulling the house back in two seconds.”
@karinasutahhomes Why don’t I recommend that children come with their parents to look for houses. I learned this the hard way! #lifeflight #traumtizing #realestatestories #utahrealestate #utahrealtor #showinghouses #dangeroussituations ♬ real audio – Karina.VanOrman
VanOrman had a couple at a showing in South Ogden for a 1970s-era home that was undergoing renovations. As the parents were looking in the kitchen, their 6-year-old daughter started running around the house happily and went outside to play in the yard.
“The family came early and they were looking around the yard and they were very happy,” VanOrman said.
“I saw their 6-year-old daughter running from the front of the house, very quickly, running towards the back of the house. And I realized that he didn’t realize that the sliding glass door was closed. So as it ran forward, I shouted, ‘Stop!’ but before he could catch himself, he ran towards that glass door.”
Because the glass doors of the home were original to the house of the ’70s, when the girl slammed the door, it formed large pieces instead of shattering into small pieces. When the girl walked out the door, a large pillar was left in her stomach, VanOrman said.
Although VanOrman warned the girl not to touch the pole, as the girl was face down crying, her instinct was to remove the pole from her body, while cutting her hands up. There was nothing in the empty house to help stop the bleeding, but luckily, VanOrman had a blanket in his car that he was able to use to apply pressure to the girl’s abdominal wound. Suddenly, the girl’s panicked parents called an ambulance.
Fortunately, EMTs arrived quickly, VanOrman said, and determined the girl’s injuries were serious enough to be taken to Salt Lake City Children’s Hospital.
“I needed to be strong in that situation,” said the agent The New York Post. “And I had to be the one who didn’t panic.”
After the incident, VanOrman revealed Posted that he broke down in his car and “took off.”
The child was lucky that the glass missed any major arteries or organs. He has made a full recovery, VanOrman said in the caption of the video.
“It was a hard lesson I learned,” VanOrman said Posted with his decision to urge home buyers not to bring small children to home showings.
Some TikTok viewers wondered who was financially responsible for the accident, including the hospital bill, which should have been significant. VanOrman said the seller’s homeowner’s insurance ended up covering most of the hospital’s costs and the door replacement.
Even if the home is not built, there are risks involved in allowing young children to roam around in an unfamiliar environment. Children can easily get tangled in blind cords, walk on unfamiliar stairs, or accidentally expose themselves to poisonous plants in the yard, if they don’t know what to look for.
Some parents enjoy having their children involved in making home buying decisions along with them at the shows. But is it worth the risk?
Email Lillian Dickerson
