Have you ever left your open house feeling like something wasn’t right? Perhaps you wondered if one of your open house visitors wasn’t there for the right reasons. Maybe you simply felt that something was off. Trouble is the last thing you want at an open house or showing, so we’ve compiled the following tips to prevent it from ever appearing.
Secure the Property
Make it clear and evident to potential troublemakers that your property will not fall victim to mischief.
- Convince the property owner to invest in motion sensor lights so no one can creep about your listing unseen!
- Ensure all guns, medicines, jewelry, personal photos, bills, and spare keys are removed from the premises to prevent visitors from walking away with your client’s belongings.
- Check that all doors and windows have proper locks and ensure that they stay locked before leaving each showing.
- Complete a perimeter check of the home to ensure that trees and bushes are trimmed back from the house, making it harder for troublemakers to hide.
- Lock any ladders in the shed or garage to make sure no one can enter through the upper levels of the house.
Prepare for Your Open House
During your open house or showing, make your personal safety a priority.
- Introduce yourself as the listing agent to the neighbors beforehand.
- Bring a friend. If there’s no one that can sit with you, consider using an app like SafeTrek.
- Try to schedule all open houses and showings during the daytime. If you have to schedule after dark, arrive early and open all curtains and blinds to make it easier for neighbors to look in.
- Require all open house attendees sign in digitally (a Google Sheet works great) and request they show their ID at the door. Knowing their presence has been recorded will discourage visitors from terrorizing your listing.
- At the conclusion of your open house, make sure you’re alone in the home, double-check that all windows are locked, and relock all the doors.
Being an agent means that you are always on the go. One of the many challenges that today’s agents face is being more responsive to today’s consumers. When a new potential client has an inquiry on a listing, or is looking to connect with a local real estate pro, the longer it takes for an agent to respond, that less likely he or she will convert such lead. Homes.com’s new Lead Concierge program solves that problem by pre-screening your leads moments after they come in. Lead Concierge sorts the serious buyers from the “lookie loos,” saving you valuable time and connecting you with the most qualified buyers and sellers.
For more information, please visit connect.homes.com.
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