Posts Tagged ‘safety tips’

7 Sensible Safety Tips When Showing Your House For Sale

When selling a home FSBO (for sale by owner), sellers usually run their own open houses. This can be an excellent way of showing a property to potential buyers. However, there are safety concerns that need careful thought before allowing strangers access your home. You don’t know who they are or what their true intentions might be.

Here’s a report of one such open house incident. In Dallas a gunman entered a property, talked on his cell phone and then terrorized the agent with a gun while committing a robbery. The gunman then stole the Realtor’s car.

In another case, a man unlocked a window at an open house and returned later to burglarize the property. So, with that in mind here are 7 important open house safety tips:

Safety Tip 1.
Know the fastest “escape” routes from your home. Make sure all deadbolt locks are unlocked to facilitate a faster exit. Make sure if you were to escape by the back door, that you could quickly escape from the backyard.

Safety Tip 2.
When prospects begin to arrive, jot down their car description, license number and physical description.

Safety Tip 3.
Have EVERYONE who comes to inspect your open house fill out his or her name, address and phone number on a sign-in sheet FIRST! Keep your open house sign-in sheet near the entrance and make sure it is completed BEFORE showing anyone through the house.

Safety Tip 4.
DO NOT, under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, allow a stranger to tour your open house BY THEMSELVES! Stay alongside them at all times. Direct them, don’t lead them. Say, for example, “the kitchen is on your left,” and gesture for them to go ahead of you. Keep a watchful eye on how they act and what they touch. You don’t want any of your possessions walking out the door.

Safety Tip 5.
Never show people through your open house on your own. However, if that is unavoidable then consider these options:

- Make appointments and open your house by appointment only.

- Let your spouse, friend or neighbor know when you have open house appointments.

- Arrange to ring your spouse, friend or neighbor as soon as the open house appointment is finished.

- Have a prearranged time for your spouse, friend or neighbor to phone you if you haven’t already phoned them back.

- Have a prearranged PASSWORD you can use on the phone if you are in any way uncomfortable with the situation. The password code might be something as simple as “don’t forget the birthday cake.”

Safety Tip 6.
Never tell a stranger that you can’t show them the house because you won’t be home. That is an open invitation to any criminal. Simply say something like “I’ll be busy then or how about 10.30 instead?”

Safety Tip 7.
Always tell the open house viewer that you are expecting a visitor to arrive shortly. This could deter anyone who might be considering something criminal.

This all might sound a bit extreme, but protect yourself because it is better to be safe than sorry. Incidents CAN and DO happen!

A final word; remember, when selling your home FSBO, the personal safety of you and your family is more important than property or possessions.

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Noel Peebles is co author of the best selling ebook “Home Selling Secrets Revealed.” Discover how to sell your own home in the shortest time… for more money… and avoid paying thousands in real estate commissions! Home Selling Secrets Revealed