Stay safe while selling your home

One thing you can be sure of when selling your home is that there will be strangers entering your space, so it’s important for you and your agent to take certain safety precautions. Like so many things in life, they can feel more manageable once written down, so we made this handy checklist.

Preparing your home:

1. Go through medicine cabinets and remove all narcotics medications.
2. Remove/ lock up precious belongings and personal information. You will want to store your jewelry, family heirlooms, and personal/financial information in a secure location to keep them from getting misplaced or stolen.
3. Put all your guns and knives away in a safe where people can’t access them.
4. Remove family photos. It’s also a good way to protect your privacy.
5. Check that windows and doors are secure before and after showings.
6. Consider extra security measures such as an alarm system or other monitoring tools like cameras. Per Washington State Law, you must have consent to audio record a private conversation. Make sure to inform your agent if you are using audio & video so they can disclose that to potential buyers.
7. Always have an agent present. If someone you don’t know walks up to your home asking for a showing, don’t let them in.

Talk to your agent about the following safety precautions:

1. Do a walk-through with your agent to make sure you have identified everything that needs to be removed or secured.
2. Go over your agent’s screening process so you are both on the same page about phone screening, and how to qualify buyers before showings, as well as personal safety tactics during showings and open houses.
3. Lockboxes to secure your keys for showings should be up to date. Electronic lockboxes track who has had access to your home. Your agent can also program the lockbox on your house to limit access during certain hours.
4. Go through your home’s entrances and exits and share important household information so your agent can advise how to secure your property while it’s on the market.

Nothing is more important than your family’s safety and making the home selling process as smooth as possible for you. Let your agent know if you have any concerns beforehand so you can address them before your home goes on the market.

Amanda Barnes is an assistant with The Connors Group at Windermere Group One and specializes in the team’s social media marketing.  Check out http://www.aprilconnors.com for more information.