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Health & Fitness

Seller Safety Tips When Showing Your Home

While incidents of scams and thefts are still thankfully rare, you need to be safety-conscious when showing your home.

Your representing agent will be doing all he/she can to ensure that your home remains secure.  You can help to protect yourself by making sure to heed the following safety tips provided by The National Association of REALTORS®.

  • Do not show your home by yourself. Not all agents or prospective buyers are who they say they are. Predators come in all shapes and sizes. Make sure to refer all inquiries to the agent representing you as the seller.
  • Insist that all agents use the lockbox to show the property, even if you are at home.  Not only does this assist the selling Realtor by keeping track of the number of showings and securing feedback on your home, it also ensures that the person entering your home is an actual Realtor.  There have been instances of scams where a person claiming to be a Realtor comes in with supposed clients, only to steal from the homeowner.
  • Remember that strangers will be walking through your home during showings or open houses. Showing Realtors may not know their clients personally.   Remember to remove keys, credit cards, jewelry, crystal, furs and other valuables from the home or lock them away during showings. Also remove prescription drugs. Some seemingly honest people wouldn’t mind getting their hands on a bottle of uppers or downers.
  • Don’t leave personal information like mail or bills out in the open where anyone can see it. Be sure to lock down your computer and lock up your laptop and any other expensive, easy-to-pocket electronics, like iPods, before your showing.
  • Remember that you are responsible for your pets. If possible, animals should be removed during showings.  If an agent or potential buyer is attacked, you will be held liable.
  • After an open house or a showing, make sure that all doors and windows are locked and your valuables are accounted for.  Thieves sometimes use open houses to scout for valuables and possible points of entry, and then return after the agent leaves.

Marie Dinsmore, Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist

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The Dinsmore Real Estate Team  |  www.DinsmoreTeam.com

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