Safety Tips for Home Sellers

Safety Tips for Home Sellers:

Trust your instincts: Don't question your misgivings. Your sixth sense is the first line of defense.

Never let a stranger into your house when you are alone: If someone is insistent, ask a neighbor to come over while you show the visitor around. But if no one is available, tell the visitor to come back later or call your agent.

Identify your visitors: Ask for a driver's license or some other form of photo identification. If your visitor finds the request unreasonable, crime prevention experts say he probably isn't the kind of person you want inside your home.

Beware of would-be buyers who knock on your door at odd hours: No matter what they say ask them to make an appointment at a more reasonable time. But never set an appointment without first obtaining the prospect's name and phone number and verifying both.

Don't give out too much information: Never let potential buyers know your schedule, such as when you are not home, when your spouse is not home, when you leave to pick up the kids. Only talk about the house.

Remove you valuables: Never leave money, credit cards or keys lying around. Do not keep your valuables in a drawer. It's too easy for a petty thief to open a drawer when no one is looking.

Pay attention to the way a prospect views your house: Professional burglars often dawdle in rooms, looking for things they can dispose of quickly, avenues of access, escape routes and security devices.

Don't let potential buyers tour your house on their own: You should follow them from room to room. But the key word here is "follow". Let the visitor enter the room first so you can't be attacked from behind. Always have an escape route in mind if something goes wrong.

Article provided by First Southwestern Title Company of California.