Safety: A Concern When Selling Your Home

The minute you put the “For Sale” sign in the front yard, your whole life changes.  Suddenly, the house has to be neat and tidy 24/7 just in case a potential buyer wants to see it on short notice.  Your sense of privacy wears thin as strangers file through your house, peeking into your closets.

The last thing you need to worry about is crime.  Though most people who come to look at your home are legitimate prospective buyers, there are some criminals who use this as an opportunity to get into your house and snoop around.

Be nosy!  If you’re selling your house yourself, do as the professionals do and screen potential visitors over the phone before allowing them to make an appointment to see your home.  Asking the right questions is a good way to weed out the crooks (and it helps cut down on the “just looking” types, too).  Most serious homebuyers should be able to answer these questions:

• Do you have a pre-approved lender? Or, are you prequalified?
• When are you planning on moving? Is your home currently on the market?
• Do you have a realtor?
• Do you have family in the area?
• Do you work in the area?

Ask for ID

Ask for a valid drivers license number and phone number (a landline, not a cell phone) from anyone who is interested in seeing your home.  Always call the phone number – if it’s fake, or if things just don’t add up, don’t let that person in.  Better safe than sorry.

Protect Yourself

Even if you screen your visitors, you still need to take precautions when you open your doors to a stranger:

• Never show your home by yourself.  Schedule showings when your spouse or another family member is home.  If you live alone, have a friend or neighbor come over while you’re showing your home.
• Show by appointment only.  Never make an exception for someone who was just “in the neighborhood” and saw the sign.  If the prospective buyer is seriously interested, setting an appointment and coming back later shouldn’t be a problem.
• Don’t get boxed in.  Always follow your visitors from room to room.  Stay behind them and never enter a room before they do.  Make sure that you’re close to the door at all times so you will be able to get out easily if you need to.
• Avoid showing your home at night.  If you can’t avoid this, turn on all the lights in the house and open all blinds or other window coverings.
• Be careful about virtual tours and don’t let them become the home shopping network.  Many real estate agencies offer “virtual tours” of properties on the Internet.  It’s a good way to show and market your home without letting visitors inside, but you should keep valuables and expensive possessions out of the picture so you don’t entice thieves.

Most importantly, always trust your instincts.  If something about a visitor or an appointment doesn’t feel “right,” there’s probably a reason.  Safety should be your first priority when selling your home.

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