When the Radon Test Fails the Day Before Closing

There’s a moment in almost every real estate deal where things could go either way — smooth finish or total derailment. For one of my sales in Breckenridge, that moment came the day before closing.

We’d already completed a radon remediation system, and the follow-up test was supposed to be a formality — the last box to check before handing over the keys. But when the results came in, the radon levels were still too high. After all the time, money, and coordination, the system didn’t work as expected.

In real estate, news like that hits hard. The buyers get nervous. The agents scramble. Everyone starts looking for someone to blame. But the only thing that really matters in that moment is how you respond.

My contractor and I didn’t waste time arguing about what went wrong. We immediately shifted to Plan B. Within hours, we were outside, shovels in hand, excavating in front of the house to find a better location for the radon extraction pipe. It was cold, it was messy, and it wasn’t the elegant finish anyone envisions the day before closing.

But a week later, the new test came back clean — and we closed.

That experience reminded me that problem-solving in real estate is rarely linear. It’s not about having everything go perfectly. It’s about being willing to go deeper — literally and figuratively — to find the right solution.

At Ecoheirloom, we often say that sustainability is about fixing what’s underneath, not just what’s visible. In construction, that means systems that perform. In business, it means keeping your word when things get complicated.

There’s something quietly powerful about staying composed in those moments. It’s not glamorous, but it’s what creates trust — and trust is what sustains your reputation long after a deal closes.

The radon system worked in the end, but more importantly, so did the relationships. The buyers got a home that was safer, the contractor proved his integrity, and I walked away reminded that success isn’t about avoiding problems. It’s about how you handle them when they find you.

Because sometimes, the only way forward is to dig a little deeper.