Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We are finishing up preparing our home to be listed for sale. I am concerned about possible theft of items such as jewelry, silver, accessories, etc. My "real" jewelry is in a safety deposit box at the bank. We don't own expensive electronics.
We live in a normally very safe neighborhood, but who knows who the lookers are. I will NOT be having an open house. Anyone have experience with safety or theft during the sales period?
I always put my valuables away, and I never had a problem. My parents, however, had an expensive camera stolen during a showing. The agent did the right thing IMHO and replaced the camera, but everyone learned a lesson.
Once upon a time, agents used to pre-qualify buyers and they used to watch the buyers carefully. They don't any more.
I had a lot of damage done to the last house I sold. Stuff that the agents should have headed off before it was an issue. Blinds torn, coffee spilled, doors and windows left standing wide open, interior doors locked and left locked. That sort of thing that the agents should have been on top of so it didn't happen.
By the time you list the house all that stuff should already be packed up. Small items you actually use should be in a suitcase or 2 that you can easily conceal or take with you.
I put my silver tableware in the safety box and put a padlocked chain over my jewelry armoires. The TVs were too large to be stolen in "plain sight" and I didn't have any narcotics on hand. If I had, they would have gone with me!
Everyone should always remove valuable items because even though most people are "good" people, there are always people who ruin it for others, and you shouldn't leave anything around.
Medications should also be put up as those are valuable to many.
As stated. And if your area has lockboxes with the option to record entries make sure your realtor has added that feature. Then she can access the info on who looked at your home. Also, just as a precaution, check all windows and doors are as they should be when you return home because I've known people to leave a back door unlocked but shut so it looks like it's all okay...with the plan to re-enter the home later.
When we sold out house I put a deadbolt on a coat closet. I put all of our stuff in the closet, locked it and put a note on the door saying it was a coat closet. Never had a problem, and our stuff was safe.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
