The DEALBREAKER! (Dallas, Austin, Highlands: house, buyers, closing) - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

vtcowgirl · 10-04-2008, 11:51 PM

I am so bummed. A prospective buyer, my ONLY prospective buyer, really loved my house, came to look at it twice, was talking of a 45 day closing...... until..... she found out...... no cell service.

or more specifically very spotty cell service. You have to stand at a certain spot in the driveway and you MIGHT get a bar or two for a few seconds. She absolutely needs her cell to get TMs from her employer who is out of state. I suggested getting her TMs on her computer, but I don't think her company wants to make a special case just for her... sigh..... I thought I'd get to be warm this winter, but looks like more snow shoveling ahead.

Exiled Texan · 10-05-2008, 06:28 AM

I'm really sorry. My in-law's house in the middle of Dallas is the same way. It is kind of in a concave section of Lake Highlands. Go figure.

sanmiguel · 10-05-2008, 07:26 AM

Degree of coverage is specific to the service provider. In some areas, ATT customers have spotty coverage but Verizon is strong. To try to save the deal, I would check to see if any of the companies, rather than the one she currently subscribes to, is better than the others.

yellowdog08 · 10-05-2008, 08:14 AM

You may want to look in to a signal repeater. These are generally inexpensive (less than $500.) If the buyers company has a cell contract they may be able to borrow one first from the their provider. Something similar can be found here Repeaters for 3G network, Cellular Phone Booster, Antenna, JD55-PR (http://jdteck.com/jd55-pr.htm - broken link) .

We used these at my former employer in areas that had weak coverage. Nothing to set up, just plug it in to power.

vtcowgirl · 10-05-2008, 08:21 AM

Thanks San Miguel for the suggestion, I already checked that and we have two companies and both are the same. I had two friends try their phones, each with the different company... it's the lack of towers I guess and the fact that I am in the mountains (or what passes for mountains in Vermont, it's not the Rockies!).

But yellowdog, I never heard of a repeater so I will check that out, thanx.

Whodathunkit???? I just didn't consider cell service being so important to anyone!

WillysB · 10-05-2008, 08:33 AM

Telecoms are losing land lines to cell customers and they know this. You should be able to report the problem to your cell provider for possible resolution. What I'd like to know is...

what has this got to do with austin? unless, of course, 'snow shoveling' is used metaphorically for something not quite so white.

TexasHorseLady · 10-05-2008, 08:57 AM

Cell service is very important to many folks these days. Myself, I HAVE to have good reception just about anywhere I go, and I ran through all of the carriers before I settled on Verizon. With the others, I had to stand in one square foot of my 55 acres (outside by the plum tree) and be careful not to tilt or turn my head one way or another once I had the connection or I'd lose it. With Verizon, I can be anywhere on the property and get good reception, even inside my house (which was absolutely impossible with the others).

vtcowgirl · 10-05-2008, 09:37 AM

Sorry WillysB.... to clarify... i've been trying to sell my house since May because I have been planning on relocating to Austin with my daughter and horses so I had been asking questions about that on and off. As with many on this board we are trying to sell where we are so we can actually go ahead and MOVE.

THL... we have a choice of Verizon and TMobile. I hear ya... gotta wander around my property to try and find that "sweet" spot, and it's in the driveway, but very inconsistent. My phone only works when I get 10 miles from my house. Thanks for commiserating.

Dr.Mom · 10-05-2008, 10:39 AM

"I hear ya... gotta wander around my property to try and find that "sweet" spot, and it's in the driveway, but very inconsistent. My phone only works when I get 10 miles from my house. Thanks for commiserating."

Well, unless your prospective buyer is looking in more "urban" areas, I think she's out of luck with cell coverage in VT. My brother and SIL have lived there for many years and they only get reception on their deck, which is a bit chilly in the winter. Unfortunately, the provider does not matter. There are so few towers in their neck of the woods (Northeast Kingdom) that you're just out of luck. Try a visit to Radio Shack though, (or some such place) as they may have the repeater that yellowdog08 mentioned or another similar device. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!

iceshots · 10-05-2008, 10:41 AM

vtcowgirl

Another whodathunkit is high speed internet access. That is an absolute must for my wife and I. However, since you are posting, I assume you have some type of access, either high speed or dial up.

A cell phone repeater may help you out in this situation, and would be a very small investment to help you sell your house. Let's hope it works and you get to come down here before the snow flies. Not long now.

Good Luck.