Real Estate Articles
Realtors share safety tips for home sellers
It is the Realtor's job to protect consumers in the real estate transaction. Sellers can especially be vulnerable as they allow strangers into their home to view their property. Brett Caviness, president of the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors, cautions Realtors and their clients to be watchful of suspicious behavior.
"An open house can be a great tool for marketing a home, but it also exposes Realtors and their sellers to unfamiliar people for the first time. Thieves and assailants have been known to prey on open houses. Practicing safety measures is the smart thing to do," said Caviness.
As Realtors celebrate Realtor Safety Month in September, Caviness shares the following safety tips for sellers from the National Association of Realtors.
- Sellers should remember that strangers will be walking through their home during showings or open houses. Consider hiding any valuables in a safe place, including prescription medications and alcohol, as well as personal information, such as bank statements that could be used for identity theft.
- Realtors warn their clients that not all agents are who they say they are. If a stranger stops by a listing unannounced, the seller should ask the person to make an appointment with their Realtor. Sellers should never show a home without their Realtor present; nor should they let a stranger, including an unfamiliar real estate agent, into their home unannounced.
- Remove not only weapons like guns before showings, but also not-so-obvious weapons like a block of knives on the kitchen countertop.
- Removing family photos will help prospective buyers envision it becoming their house. It is also for the family's safety, since you don't know who is walking through the house and seeing photos of your family.
- Sellers are responsible for their pets. If possible, animals should be removed during showings. If buyers and agents are attacked by an animal, the owner will be held liable.
- At an open house, be alert to the pattern of visitors' arrivals, especially near the end of showing hours. In some cases, the modus operandi of thieves is to show up in a group near the end of an open house and, while the supposed buyer distracts the Realtor and the seller, if present, the rest of the group walks through the house and steals valuables.
- Inform a neighbor that your Realtor will be showing your home and ask if he or she would keep an eye and ear open for anything out of the ordinary.
- When leaving a property after an open house or a showing, your Realtor should make sure that all doors and windows of the home are locked. Thieves commonly use open houses to scout for valuables and possible points of entry, then return after the Realtor leaves.
- While your Realtor will take all of the above safety precautions, sellers should know when they return home that they should immediately verify that all doors are locked, and all valuables are accounted for.
For more ideas on how to protect your personal safety, visit NAR's website at www.realtor.org/safety.
The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) is a professional trade organization representing over 4,000 REALTORS® and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay. SILVAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in Silicon Valley.
The term "REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and who subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.
Variations of this article have appeared in local area newspapers.
For further information, please email or call the SILVAR office at (408) 200-0100.