Do you have tool envy?

As a small child I dreamed of working at a “Fix-It Shop” like the one run by Luis and then Maria on Sesame Street. For my 10th birthday I received an electric drill from my father and inherited my grandmother’s kitchen hammer.

When I went away to college, my father made me a great little tool box from the tool collection I had at home. Mostly things to hang pictures – a small hammer, nails, picture hangers, a few screwdrivers, anchors and screws. It turned out I was the only person (not the only woman, the only person) in my dormitory to have any tools at all. That is when I realized I was a “tool girl.”

Tools play an important role in my life as a real estate agent. When I see home inspectors using moisture meters or thermal heat scanners at home inspections I definitely have tool envy. When I shop for gifts for my clients, I often choose tools.

I am fortunate to have a “tool guy” as my broker. Especially because he’s a  generous one. When my co-workers and I came to work one morning last week, we had little surprises waiting on our desks. They were sonic tape measures by Ryobi.

Have you ever used one of these? This little tool allows you to measure a distance, say from one wall to another or from floor to ceiling, with only one hand. No need to pull out the measuring tape on the traditional tape measure, try to line it up and make sure it is straight sometimes having to maneuver around furniture, only to find it isn’t long enough. And then there’s the dangerous snap of the rewinding metal tape back into its case.

With the sonic tape measure, you can just hold it against one wall and point it towards the opposite wall, press a button and get the measurement. You do not have to be a “tool guy” or a “gadget girl” to use this handy gadget. So, when you see a property listing without the square footage information, do not be afraid to take a look. Just be sure to work with an exclusive buyer’s agent who is also a gadget girl.