You're ready for a change. So, you've put your house on the market and you are ready to get the ball rolling. There are many things your realtor will tell you to do to make the house look its best for showing. You may even stage your home to show it off to its greatest advantage. Once you have the house ready for even the toughest potential buyer, you need to prepare yourself and your home for the strangers who will be walking through. Even with the most conscientious agent showing your home, potential buyers are inherently curious, and you must assume they will look anywhere and everywhere; certainly, in every closet, cabinet, and drawer. In addition, if you hold an open house, you'll get people who are not actually looking to buy, but who simply enjoy going through open houses to see what they can see - and sometimes their curiosity involves more than just your home's floor plan. So, let's get your house sold without putting your belongings or your privacy at risk.
Secure All Jewelry & Collectibles
This should go without saying, but it is not enough for jewelry to be out of sight. Many times, two or more people are looking at a house together, and the realtor can only be in one place at a time, so there are opportunities for someone in the party to be alone in a bedroom. It is common to push jewelry into the top drawer of a dresser or nightstand, but this is the first place thieves look. Don't put these items in small locked boxes, drawers, or under beds. Be creative. Find someplace to put your jewelry where no one would think of looking, such as the back of a high shelf in your kitchen pantry cabinet.
Hide Personal Photos
It's a good bet your realtor is telling you to do this anyway, because they generally agree that family photos can make rooms look cluttered and keep potential buyers from being able to envision themselves in the home. However, there are other reasons to do it, as well. For example, is it necessary for strangers coming through your home to see that you have a beautiful teenage daughter? If you think I am making an over-the-top suggestion, then just Google your local sex offender registry. I did, and I found four registered sex offenders within one mile of my home, and 25 more going out two miles. So, keep the photos of your children to yourself.
Put Away All Medications
Your medical history is private. It is nobody's business what prescription drugs you are taking, or why; or, for that matter, which doctor is prescribing them. People are absolutely going to open medicine cabinets, bathroom drawers, and closets. That's just part of the deal. And, it is possible some of the people who come to look at your home will be from your neighborhood. Therefore, anything you wouldn't want the family down the street to see needs to be secured in a place that is not likely to be explored. Be even more vigilant if you have any kind of prescription pain-killers or tranquilizers - any drug that can be abused or sold. There are cases in which drug users target open houses as a way to steal drugs.
Protect Your Identity
Identity theft is a huge problem these days, and online shopping has created opportunities for people to spend other people's money from the privacy of their homes. If your identity is stolen, the problems it will cause can take years to correct. Don't leave personal papers on desktops, countertops, or in desk drawers. This includes checkbooks, bank statements, credit card statements, tax documents and returns, and absolutely anything that has your Social Security number on it. These items should be well-hidden so a visitor won't stumble upon them while looking through your home.
Don't Leave Keys Around
Some of these suggestions sound obvious, but most people are honest, and are not focused on the potential risks when showing their home. If you have hooks hanging in your kitchen or by your door where family members routinely deposit house and car keys, take those away when showing the house. Spare keys are too easy to grab and stick in a pocket, and you don't want someone coming back when there is no one in the house to go after something that was too large or obvious to take during the open house or private showing. Selling your home is stressful, all by itself. Hopefully, these tips for protecting your valuables and your privacy during the selling process will make it just a little bit easier.
Jeffrey Koppel is a professional writer, specializing in web content and SEO. Among other activities, he currently writes a home and personal safety and security blog for Lock N More, a full-service, 24-hour locksmith in Davie, FL
