Care and common sense will keep your home safe
OPEN HOMES are one of the most efficient and useful ways of maximising your property’s exposure to buyers. But there are issues to consider before opening your doors to strangers, not all of whom may be genuine house hunters.
Real Estate Authority chief executive Kevin Lampen-Smith acknowledges the risks of having people look through your home when you’re not there.
“It’s natural for sellers to have concerns about privacy and security - after all, you’re inviting complete strangers into your family’s home.”
To mitigate the risks, he recommends sellers remove items of sentimental or monetary value from their home.
“Think about items that could easily be slipped into a pocket or handbag, such as jewellery, silverware, small electronics or even the prescription medication stored in your bathroom cabinet,” he says.
“Tucking them away in your sock drawer or under your bed won’t do the trick.”
Identity theft is another risk. Sellers who leave important documents, like passports, bank statements or credit card receipts, in plain sight leave themselves vulnerable, Lampen-Smith says.
As well as storing these in a secure place, make sure computers are switched off and password protected, and hide USB sticks or hard drives that are loaded with personal information.
“While this might sound like plain old commonsense to many, I’ve heard of a seller leaving a Post-it note with the house alarm code right next to the alarm, for anyone to come back and deactivate later,” Lampen-Smith says.
Sellers should talk to their real estate agent or salesperson about how the open home will be staged.
“Ask if there will be a sign-in register, where visitors provide their name and contact information when they arrive at the showing,” Lampen-Smith says.
“This is a helpful tool for the agent when it comes to following up with potential buyers, and, in the case that something is damaged or stolen during the open home, the information can be passed onto police.”
The agent needs to be at the viewing and shouldn’t leave potential buyers alone at the property. Ideally, the agent should accompany visitors as they tour the house, but this isn’t always possible if the showing gets busy.
Lampen-Smith says sellers could ask that a second person from the real estate agency be onsite during the open home, to greet visitors at the door, ask them to sign in and wait until the agent is free to show them through.
He points out sellers who still feel uneasy about having an open home can opt for inspections by appointment.
“There’s no law saying you must have an open home. Remember, it’s your house and ultimately you don’t have to do anything you’re uncomfortable with.”
For more information about buying or selling a property, visit settled.govt.nz.