5 Tips to Keep Your Home Safe While Selling

Selling your home can sometimes be a long drawn out affair. With people coming and going into the house every day and loads of strangers trampling through. It may seem like just a temporary inconvenience but it can unfortunately be far, far worse. 

Opening your home up to so many strangers is making yourself vulnerable to uncomfortable situations. Imagine you alone at home and suddenly the doorbell rings in the evening with random strangers asking to be let in because they heard your house was on sale. Not very comfortable or safe is it?

Whether its residential or other suburbs or a tiny cottage in the country, you never know who you are letting into your home. We hear all too often of thieves and other perpetrators taking advantages of open houses or people who are in a situation to willingly let them in. 

Although this is a definitely an inevitable part of home buying and selling, there are definitely safety precautions you can take to keep potential danger at bay. Besides why ever put yourself in an unsavory situation in your own home! 

Let's take a look at a few preventive measures you can adopt, to make the process a safer one for you -

1. Do not do it alone – If you don't have an agent helping you with the sale and handling buyers, it is best to avoid doing any showings all alone. Always have a friend, spouse or someone to give you company while you are letting people in to show them your place. Your risks will be significantly lowered if you do not show the house alone and it definitely isn't a chance worth taking. 
2. Get all the information – When showing someone your home or planning to make sure you take down all their contact information and call and check the phone number as well. Note down all address info and never let anyone in the home without an id of some sort. 
3. Invite visitors by appointment – Ask anyone who simply stops by for a look, to come back after scheduling an appointment. This tip helps you gauge who the serious buyers and those who just want to come have a look for fun. Also keep curious onlookers at bay by putting a ' showing by appointment only' line on your for sale sign if you have one or on the advertisement. 
4. Keep a phone with you – This may seem like a no brainer but it is easy to sometimes just leave your phone lying around on a busy and hectic day. Always have a phone handy on you. Check if it is fully charged and good to use before showings and open houses and keep it on you at all times throughout the process. Let friends or family know that you are having a showing and at what time the appointment is and keep an emergency number ready to speed dial on your mobile or cordless phone. 
5. Be careful of what information you give out – It is easy to fall into the trap of answering whatever questions potential buyers may ask you but never divulge information about your personal schedule, timings, who you live with or if you live alone and the like. It is also wise to not discuss what security systems you may have installed in the home. 

Selling a home can be a time consuming and tiring process. If you do not have a professional doing it for you, it is extremely important to safeguard yourself with a few common sense tools, even if you are rushed or busy.


Bio - Steve Lobo is a real estate agent and has been in the industry for the past 9 years. He has shown clients many properties over the years and also is expert in reverse mortgage options. He believes that safety comes first and often advises people on the same. In his spare time he writes and runs his own blog.