BE SAFE: Control the Showing of Your Home

There is nothing more important throughout the home selling process than your safety.  Secondary importance is to protect your personal property while showing your home.

At the time of a home showing, if you are alone and feel unsafe when potential buyers come to view your home, do not hesitate to postpone the showing until someone else can be with you for the showing - - or cancel it completely.   Your safety is the more important than a potential missed showing.

Protect your personal possessions as well.  There have been some fairly well documented instances of unscrupulous visitors who come into homes as potential buyers with the actual intent of stealing from you.  Be aware of where the potential buyers are at all times.  

Typically two people work this type of scam.  While you show the downstairs to one, the other is upstairs rifling through your jewelry box.  While you show the master bedroom to the second, the first is helping himself to the contents of your office desk drawers or your iPod left lying on the kitchen counter.

Don’t be afraid to control the showing of your house.  You own the home, you set the rules.  Be polite but firm, insist that all visitors stay with you while you show them the house.

Under no circumstances should you let strangers roam through your home unattended.  This is just asking them to help themselves to your valuables.

Of course, the best way to protect your valuables is to secure them before opening your house to the public.  The inconvenience of doing so is easily offset by keeping your valuables protected.