5 Home Showing Safety Tips

Homeowners should always be concerned about their home’s safety. Learn more about five ways to improve security during home showings.

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5 Home Showing Safety Tips

Posted by Gary Ashton on Monday, January 13th, 2020 at 2:59pm.

Home showings are one of the most important parts of the selling process. This is where Brentwood buyers finally get to come into the home to see it in person for the first time. However, some buyers come to the home with ill intentions and end up taking a souvenir or two. Homeowners should be proactive when preparing their home for showings, and that means taking precautions. Here are some ways homeowners can protect their home and possessions during home showings.

Put Valuables Away

One of the most common sense strategies is also one of the most effective. The easiest way to prevent someone from walking away with valuables is simply to put those valuables somewhere they won’t be seen. Valuables homeowners hide include things such as:

  • Prescription medications
  • Jewelry
  • Mail
  • Important documents
  • Smartphones

Small things like these are likely to be around the home, and they’re easy to slip into a pocket and walk away with. Putting these sorts of things in a safe or in a cupboard can be a good way to keep them out of sight. 

Don’t Let Anyone Into the Home Without an Appointment

In order to go to a home showing, the buyer needs to arrange an appointment time beforehand. This can be done through their agent if they have one, or by doing it on their own. If someone turns up at the door and asks to see the home without any warning, don’t let them in. The homeowner should tell the person that if they want to see the home, they need to contact the homeowner’s agent. In the meantime, the homeowner can also give them a business card or home brochure, so long as they don’t let strangers into the home.

Put Passwords on Computers

Nearly every home has at least one computer, and internet settings often automatically collect a user’s usernames and passwords to make logging onto websites easier. If someone is left alone in a home without supervision, they may try to use the homeowner’s computer to get into their email, banking, or other accounts. To prevent this, make sure all computers in the home are protected with a password. Password protecting a computer will require the user to submit a password after turning the computer on or waking it up after being in sleep mode. If the user doesn’t have the password, they won’t be able to access anything else on the computer.

Install Security Cameras

For homeowners who want to make absolutely sure that their home is safe during home showings, security cameras may be the way to go. With smart security systems becoming more and more prevalent and accessible, homeowners can easily find a system that will work for them. There are even home security cameras that can be accessed from anywhere and at any time via a smartphone. Many security cameras can also be moved around so homeowners can change their positions and where they’re looking. 

Depersonalize the Home

Depersonalizing is always recommended when staging a home, but this can be important if the homeowner has security concerns. If the homeowner is worried about strangers looking at family photos or seeing the names of their children, they should go through the home and remove those sorts of things. Not only does depersonalizing protect the people who live in the home, but it’s also important for helping buyers imagine themselves living in the home.

Home security is always important, and it also extends to home showings. Using these strategies can be a good way to make the home more secure and prevent theft.

 

Gary Ashton

The Ashton Real Estate Group of RE/MAX Advantage

The #1 RE/MAX team in the World!

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