Safety Tips for Sellers While Your Home is on the Market
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Home sellers have to always be in a “show ready” mode when your home is actively on the market for sale. Since potential buyers will be coming and going, it’s important for seller’s to consider safeguards to ensure that your belongings are protected.
Open houses, scheduled showing appointments and buyers who are just out driving and looking on their own mean many strangers will be entering a seller’s home. A trusted real estate agent can aid in safeguarding your home by screening potential home buyers and placing an approved lockbox on your property which will keep a log of the name and time of an agent entering and leaving your property. This not only allows the marketing agent to follow-up with selling agents for buyer feedback but helps track activity in the event the seller discovers a problem at the home.
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Another simple solution is to remove anything of value such as, collectables, jewelry, artwork and store them in a safe place elsewhere. Be sure to lock file cabinets which contain personal information such as social security numbers and account numbers. Don’t forget to do the same for medicine cabinets.
Sellers should lock their doors and windows at all times and make sure they are locked when returning home after a showing. A good marketing agent will make sure doors and windows are secure upon exiting the home after a showing. My practice is to leave the home the way I find it; however, I won’t leave one unlocked without checking with the homeowner first. If I see a problem upon entering, I contact the homeowner immediately to report the condition of the home and get direct instruction from the homeowner. Just because an agent finds a home unlocked upon arriving doesn’t mean it should be locked upon leaving. There may be a very good reason why the homeowner wants the home to remain unlocked but the agent should check with the homeowner in a situation like this or at the very least, leave a message letting the owner know.
If the home being sold is a second home and only occupied occasionally, installing an alarm system, motion sensor lights that turn on automatically at night and putting lamps on automatic timers so lights turn on and off in different rooms at different times are smart safety measures. Consider hiring a property manager to oversee and maintain the home during your absence.
One of the best ways for a seller to safeguard his/her home is utilizing a neighborhood watch. Ask a neighbor to let you know if they see something suspicious and if possible, have your real estate agent and your neighbor meet each other.
These safety precautions can help keep your home safe while your home is actively on the market for sale.
When are you planning to make your next real estate move?
Call or text Donna today at 706-633-0644. Email donna@donnayates.com
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