 |
How to Create a Safe Open House
An Open House event is an
excellent tool that can be used to effectively expose your house to potential homebuyers.
If your real estate professional has included one or more Open House events as part of your formal real estate marketing plan then there are some realities you should consider prior to these events.
First, understand that you are exposing your home to complete strangers.
Furthermore, your real estate professional will probably discourage you from being in the house while these strangers are present. The reason for this is to make potential buyers feel comfortable without being “shadowed” by the owners as they move from room to room, opening closets and cupboards, and generally making themselves at home. A scary thought for some owners, but that is the reality of Open House events.
The second reality to consider is that
not all of the visitors to your Open House will actually be potential buyers. Some visitors are there to get decorating ideas, get real estate advice from your real estate professional, or to simply kill an afternoon. Some may also be in your house for more nefarious reasons that have nothing to do with buying a house. Whatever the reason for being in your house, there are some things you can do to create a safe Open House.
Remove all personal items from view in every room of your house. This includes:
- Medications, prescription drugs, etc. that may be in the bathrooms
- Loose clothing that would normally be kept in closets or drawers.
- Any change, currency, credit cards, or wallets that are casually left on counters, in drawers, or kept in bowls.
- Jewelry, watches, etc. that may be left on vanities or bathroom countertops.
- Any mail including bills, statements, or other documents that could be the source for identity theft.
- House keys, car keys, and any other keys or keycards.
- Any family pets such as dogs or cats should not be in the house during the Open House. Ideally, pets should not be kept in the back yard in case a visitor mistakenly leaves a gate open or a child ventures to close to an animal who doesn't behave well with strangers.
Immediately following an Open House event – and once all visitors have left your property – you should perform a walk-through with your agent to make sure no personal or household items are missing. Also, all windows and exterior doors should be checked to be sure none have been left unlocked.
If you are conducting an Open House without a real estate professional there are a few other cautionary tips to consider that will insure a safe event.
- Never be alone with visitors without a buddy. Anything can happen and you want to be sure a friend or adult family member is present in case the unexpected happens and you need help.
- Never turn your back on a visitor in your house.
- Insist that all of your visitors sign a roster that includes their name, address, and phone number.
- Have a plan of escape in case you need it.
In short, remove any personal items that would be easy to conceal and remove from your house or that would possibly expose you or a member of your family to identify theft. Particularly valuable items should be removed from the house completely or stored in an area of the house that would be off limits to Open House visitors.
The open house process is just one step toward selling your home. A real estate professional can provide you with a fresh set of eyes and will tour your home and point out safety measures you may have overlooked as well as answer other questions you may have about selling your home.
* * * * * *
This helpful guide was produced by Prudential Ballard Realty, Inc. -- a leader in residential sales and leasing in the greater Montgomery, Alabama area. You can contact Prudential Ballard by calling (334)
277-8920 or by visiting the web at
http://prudentialballard.com . You may also contact Prudential Ballard via e-mail at
info@prudentialballard.com . Prudential Ballard Realty is an independently owned and operated member of Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc., a Prudential Financial company. Equal Housing Opportunity.
|
|
