FSBO Security While Showing
Your Home.
FSBO sellers often face a rather steep learning curve when they set out to sell their own homes, because they usually don’t have the weeks or months of classroom training required to get a real estate license. And while struggling to learn everything from how to price a house correctly to how to negotiate the repair allowance on an earnest money contract, sellers often overlook a serious subject that anyone selling a home by themselves should investigate. Namely, how to do it with an emphasis on personal safety and protection of your home and valuables.
As soon as you post your yard sign and advertise your house for sale, those who prey upon easy targets for theft or other crimes may decide to add you to their list of potential victims. Although crimes against real estate professionals and FSBO sellers are somewhat rare and isolated, they do happen with enough frequency to warrant a discussion of how to play the real estate game safely.
For those who have trouble grasping why FSBO sellers need to be concerned about such a thing, here are two true examples that help to illustrate the need for precautions:
Recently a couple posing as buyers robbed real estate agents in a successful string of crimes. The well-dressed woman made appointments to meet agents at vacant homes in remote locations, and when they arrived the man appeared and robbed them at gunpoint.
In another incident a broker got a phone call asking him to come show a property, and when he arrived he was robbed of everything, including his car, his watch, his cell phone, his wallet, his shoes, and every stitch of clothing he was wearing at the time. The unfortunate fellow had to wrap himself in the doormat he found at the new home and then walk to the nearest store to notify police of his plight.
Because of the potential for such crimes – and others that are much more serious – Realtors often attend workshops or seminars to teach them ways to reduce risk while conducting their business. The advice that they receive is also applicable to those do-it-yourself sellers who temporarily find themselves in the role of a real estate professional as a FSBO seller. Before you list your home, call your local police department or Board of Realtors, and ask them to give you materials that explain recommended safety procedures for Realtors.
Here are a few tips that will help to enhance your safety and security as you open your house to strangers while marketing and selling it yourself:
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#1 Be vigilant with everyone:
The best criminals are experts at presentation, and may appear charming, innocent, and friendly. Regardless of how nice the strangers you deal with in the course of marketing your home seem, always observe the same level of precaution. Don’t let your guard down and develop routines and habits that enhance safety.
#2 Don’t tempt a thief:
While in the comfort of your own home it is easy to forget that your valuables may be tempting to someone who is looking at your house as a potential buyer. Keep all valuables such as jewelry and cash concealed out of sight, and that includes the rings, bracelets, and other items you may be accustomed to wearing on your person. Take off the bling before showing your house and stash it in a safe place. The bling will be safer, and so will you.
#3 Use the phone:
Take advantage of modern communication technology. Before you show your home, notify a friend. Tell them to call and check on you every 10 minutes, until you finish the showing. It is also a good idea to give them the license plate number and a description of the car that the buyer is driving. If your cell phone has a camera, you can even use it to photograph your potential buyers and the cars they are driving. Program emergency numbers into your speed dial, and keep you phone in your hand and ready to use at all times.
#4 Trust your instincts and intuition:
If something doesn’t feel right, don’t take any chances. You can always postpone or reschedule a tour of your home by saying that you don’t feel well or that an emergency came up that needs your attention. If your gut is telling you something is wrong, then both of those excuses are essentially true and totally valid.
If your buyer arrives with other people, ask everyone to stick together as you tour the home. If one tries to split off and do their own thing, tell them that you want them to tag along so that you do not have to explain the features of your home twice. Follow; don’t lead, so that you are always closest to the nearest exit. When you use the buddy system and have another adult on hand when you do property tours, managing multiple buyers becomes much easier – and much easier to do safely and securely. If at all possible, never meet buyers alone. Always have a friend, family member, or neighbor present to help ensure your well being and personal comfort.
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Copyright 2007 THSK.
Mark Deaton |
