While September is Realtor Safety Month, the topic of safety can also be extended to home sellers. Here are six tips for protecting your home and privacy during the listing period.
1. Beware of stranger danger. If someone sees your for sale sign and wants an impromptu tour, explain there is a process that must be followed before they can see the property. Not all agents, buyers and sellers are who they claim to be. Provide your agent’s contact information and direct all inquiries there.
It is always best to hire an expert real estate professional to list your home who can advise on all the appropriate steps needed to safely show a home. When a licensed agent is hired to market and sell the home, the agent ensures every potential buyer is escorted to and from the property. A good agent will also prescreen buyers to make sure they can qualify for the mortgage. Your listing agent can also advise best practices for protecting both your privacy and your home during the listing period.
2. Protect your home from germs. Strangers walking through the home is a justified health concern for sellers. Take some basic precautions. Leave hand sanitizer and paper masks inside doorway as they enter. For upcoming showings, turn on as many lights as possible and open all interior doors. This reduces surface touching inside your home with doorknobs and light switches. Upon returning, use disinfectant spray and wipes as warranted.
3. Scrub the home of sensitive personal information. Never leave mail lying around and keep all bills, bank statements, checkbooks, passports, and other sensitive paperwork stored away. Do not place on top in a desk drawer and assume these are safe. People – especially those searching for such information – will open drawers and cabinets. If you tend to leave sticky notes around with passwords, remove these.
4. Lock up valuables and electronics. Never leave laptops, iPads and other expensive electronics around or other easy-to-pocket items such as jewelry, watches, gift cards, cash or credit cards. If you own weapons, these should be under heavy lock and key or removed from the property while the home is listed. Prescription drugs is another often overlooked area. A small item like this is easy to swipe without the showing agent being aware of it.
5. Don’t invite inadvertent access to your home. It is common to hide a key outside in case you’re locked out. Most people put these in common places such as under a doormat, flowerpot or above the door. Experienced thieves know all the tricks. It’s not unheard of for a burglar to pose as a buyer and case your home for valuables and how to gain access later. If you have an area where you hang spare keys, remove before listing. Upon your return after showings, double-check that all doors and windows are locked and make a quick check that nothing is missing.
6. Ensure safety for visitors. It’s equally important to make sure your house is safe for potential buyers and agents to tour – loose railings, things they could trip on, loose rugs, and poor lighting in areas such as basements are all areas to address prior to listing your home.
If you have pets, particularly dogs, make sure you have a system for dealing with them during showings. Whether crating your pets, locking them in a fenced yard or taking them with when leaving for an upcoming showing, this ensures safety for visitors and animals.
The real estate market is still very active, with a shortage of for-sale homes to meet the current demand. This is certainly true for Florida, especially for the sought-after Sarasota real estate market. By practicing these six safety tips, it will help ensure an easier and safer listing process.
