There’s a number of residential security risks associated with the process of utilizing a real estate agency in order to sell your home. In this blog entry, the residential lock and security experts at Golden Locksmith will go into detail regarding the various ways that putting your home up for sale can compromise your security, so you can be better prepared if this is your situation.
Renting Expensive Decor
Many real estate agents will try to spruce up a home for potential buyers by renting expensive decor, everything from furniture to electronics. These items can potentially tempt potential burglars – and doing so is a major risk, especially if you’re paying for the rentals. Think of it this way – the more expensive items are clearly visible in your home, the more tempting it will be for burglars.
Key Boxes
Many real estate agents install code controlled key padlock devices on your doorknob in which keys to your home are contained for the real estate agent’s easy access. These systems usually use a coded system, but they are incredibly vulnerable to break ins, and usually they aren’t even as safe as the usually inferior lock boxes. These boxes can be easily decoded or broken into through force, putting your property at risk.
Insecure Record Tabulation
Since the process of selling your home requires many strangers to enter it, it’s important for your real estate agent to take down the name, address, and phone number of every person entering the house in case a theft occurs. We recommend jotting down the license plate of all visitors as well, as this is a superior way of identifying a burglar than a fake ID. When visitors are coming into your home, make sure to keep track of all the personal property inside your home.
Too Much Information
Real estate agents can inadvertently put your property at risk by giving away too much personal information to the strangers they are showing the home to. Don’t describe the full security infrastructure of the home to strangers in depth, because they might be screening it for methods of entry. Instead, keep the specific details shrouded. Additionally, never share the schedule of when the home will be occupied and/or vacant to strangers visiting it, who could be scoping out the property for a potential burglary.