Tips For Sellers – Safeguarding Your Property
Nov 17th, 2009 by master
Although theft by prospective buyers is a very rare occurrence, it can happen. Realtors® often work with buyers who are relative strangers. These people will now have access to your home and their agent may not be able to monitor them at all times. Be smart. Remove all easily concealed items from surfaces.
Valuable jewelry should be hidden or stored in a safety deposit box. Never leave money, credit cards, checks or extra keys lying around. If you keep your home uncluttered and pristine for showings, you’ll be much less likely to overlook the expensive watch lying on your dresser. Put valuables away! Don’t allow yourself to become a victim.
Never allow your listing agent to place anything other than an electronic key box on your home for agent access. Electronic key boxes record each showing and log agent information. Only a licensed agent in good standing is allowed to maintain an access key to these boxes. If her access key is lost or stolen, it is useless without her personal code and deactivates without regular updates.
A key box that uses punch in numbers or dials is not secure. Agents usually write the codes on their showing sheets where they can be seen by clients. Buyers can also observe agents keying in the code. Most of these boxes allow for an unlimited number of attempts at entering the correct code. A casual thief who comes across one could defeat it given enough time.
Not that the codes are that difficult to obtain. A home intruder impersonating a real estate agent could obtain the codes to your lock box and alarm simply by making an appointment with many real estate companies. Some showing services now use identifying codes, but most companies do not verify the agent’s identity. If an electronic lock box is used, this is not a concern. Only licensed Realtors can access these boxes and every showing leaves an indelible trail. Tell your listing agent you want the security and accountability an electronic lock box provides.
Theft is not the most common way that homeowners sustain losses while they are on the market. Remember that families will tour your home and even the most diligent parent may not always have their little ones under control. Put cherished breakables Out Of Reach! Look at your home from a toddler’s perspective, removing any attractive items or obvious dangers from where little hands might roam. Try not to leave toys lying on the floor or in obvious places. A young child’s desire to play with an appealing toy can easily degenerate into a temper tantrum and ruin your showing.
Some homeowners choose to remain in the home so they can both safeguard their property and point out the best features of their property. This is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. First, the chance of sustaining a loss is minuscule if you’ve properly prepared your home for showings. Second, your presence will ruin the showing in the majority of cases.
You have worked to depersonalize and neutralize your home so that potential buyers can see it as their own. Now, you need to leave so that can happen. The shortest and less successful showings are nearly always those where the homeowner insists on being present. The reluctance of an owner to leave their home for showings also conveys a subtle message to buyers that they may be difficult or unreasonable. The vast majority of potential buyers want to explore your home undisturbed and are remarkably good at noticing the features that are important to them.
Selling your home is a process of letting go. Start by leaving before each showing. It will still be there when you get back and you may have an offer!
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