05/6
Real Estate Tip of the Week: Open House Safety Measures
Be ready…open houses are in full swing! Open houses are a great way to get eyes on your listing – and they sell for $9,046 more than homes that don’t.
If you and your client are planning to present an open house, it’s crucial that you also go over any safety concerns prior to having strangers enter their home. It’s not only for their safety, but for yours as well.
As you’re walking through their home with your client, look for these items and prep for not only a successful open house, but a safe one too!
Photographs
Kindly suggest your client remove any family photos from their home. Storing away family photos for an open house not only serves as a way for potential buyers to envision their own family within the home, but this process can also serve as a double purpose. Unfortunately, because we don’t know who will be walking through the open house, it’s important not to show who is currently living in the home.
Valuable Items
Definitely remind clients that you can’t be responsible for any thefts that take place! Instruct them to stow away valuables – these could be anything from documents that include personal information (bills and mail) to electronics, jewelry, etc.
Prescriptions
Something you may not have considered hiding or moving: prescription drugs. Nearly half of 164 estate professionals surveyed at the Greater San Diego Association of REALTORS® Expo reported knowledge of prescription drug theft taking place during open houses.
Tell your client to remove or lock up any prescriptions they have within the home.
Weapons and Lighting
If your client has any weapons – knives, guns, etc., have them removed from the home.
Instruct your client to leave lights on prior to showings, regardless of the time. This way, agents (you) don’t have to walk into a dark home. After the showing, you should also leave lights on for your client’s return.
This is only a brief list of examples to keep things running safe and smoothly; before scheduling an open house, sit down with your client and go over their expectations on how they’d like the home to be treated and go through this list of safety measures with them.