After a Seattle-area Windermere real estate agent was murdered in a
Woodinville home sale this month, Windermere released self-protection
and safety tips designed for real estate agents.
However, many of the tips and others like them can also help protect
home owners who assist selling their home.
With or without a real estate agent, when you are selling your home you
are exposed to a parade of strangers traipsing through your house. The
vast majority of them are perfectly safe, honest people -- and possibly home buyers. But
security measures are necessary for the rare possibility that just one
could see your home as an opportunity for crime.
For-sale-by-owner sellers are particularly vulnerable because they
often work alone, conducting open house events and otherwise accepting
visitors into their home for a look around when they could be casing the
place.
Protecting your home, its valuables and yourself from harm should be a
vital component of your marketing plan.
Once you list your home for sale, never leave a message on your
answering machine informing callers that you are not home. It's better
to leave a message that says you are unavailable to answer the phone
right now.
Never set an appointment with anyone to see your home unless you
have their name and number and have called back to verify that number.
For security’s sake, before you conduct an open house, 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 Viagra, uppers or downers.
Consider hiring a security guard, especially if you have many
valuables you can't remove.
Request that all visitors sign in a guest book or roster. You are
giving away a lot of information about your house and you have a right
to know who is getting that information. Feel free to explain to
protesters that it's a security measure. Certainly some visitors will
use a false name but at least they will be aware of your organized
procedures and might think twice about victimizing you. If possible, jot
down license plate numbers and ask for photo identification to verify
the information in the guest book or sign-in roster.
Request that visitors enter and leave through one door only,
except when you escort them to the back yard, garage, etc. You should
personally have quick and easy access to all your exits.
Without hovering, escort prospective buyers through your home by
following them (never leading them) and keeping them within sight at all
times. Keep a reasonable distance between you and your visitor. Never
enter a bedroom, den or other room with a visitor. You could be trapped
inside. Keep your path clear for a speedy exit.
If you expect a crowd, draft a few friends and relatives to help
out. If simply too many show up, ask some to wait outside for the next
"tour". If the market is simply loaded with shoppers, schedule
appointments.
Never discuss your personal schedule or habits with potential
buyers. Statements like "We are so near the work center, I can leave my
home at 8:45 and arrive by 9," tell potential criminals when you aren't
home. Likewise, don't discuss issues involving your home security
including deadlock bolt locks, security systems, alarms etc. Don't
divulge information on your flyer or other marketing tools that might
breech security.
Always let someone who is not at the open house know what hours
you are conducting your open house and have them check in on you from
time to time. When open house has ended call your friend and let them
know all is well.
Don't park your car in your garage or driveway. Your exit could be
blocked. Also don't allow other cars to use or block your drive way.
Carry a cell phone with you at all times with a single button
programmed for a 911 call. If a friend is assisting, consider using two
way radios to stay in touch.
After an open house, check all the windows, doors and other
entrances to make sure they are locked.
Published: January 19, 2001
Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.
Broderick Perkins parlayed a career in old-school journalism into a
contemporary digital news service that really hits home.
The award-winning consumer journalist, originally from Wilmington, DE, is founder, publisher and executive editor of the bootstrap DeadlineNews Group, a Silicon Valley-based editorial content and consulting service specializing in residential real estate, consumer news and related editorial consulting services.
The DeadlineNews Group includes the website, DeadlineNews.com, offering real estate editorial content and consulting services, and its back shop, the Deadline Newsroom, an open house on news that really hits home.
Perkins obtained his formal journalism education from University of Delaware and a journalism boot camp, the Institute of Journalism Education at the University of California-Berkeley. He went on to 20 years of service as a daily newspaper journalist at the Wilmington, DE News Journal and San Jose, CA Mercury News.
Perkins covered housing on the San Jose Mercury News reporting team which earned a General News Reporting Pulitzer Prize in 1989 for coverage of the Loma Prieta earthquake.
He has also produced real estate, consumer and small business content for the Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, RealtyTimes.com, Nolo.com, Better Homes and Gardens, the National Association of Realtors, Homestore/Move and Intuit/Quicken among more than three dozen publications.
In addition to managing the DeadlineNews Group, Perkins most recently served as chief editorial consultant for Nolo's Essential Guide To Buying Your First Home, Nolo, and writes real estate television scripts for RealtyTimes.com.
Broderick Perkins parlayed a career in old-school journalism into a
contemporary digital news service that really hits home.