Why sellers should use an electronic lockbox system
For almost 100 years, when a home is listed for sale, the listing agent was required to be available to "show" that home to any potential buyer. Recently, associations and more advanced real estate brokers have streamlined that process to make accessing the home for sale easier. Electronic lockboxes have come into use to better integrate advancements in mobility and data. For several years, the Eastern Connecticut Association of REALTORS® has provided for its members to use electronic lockboxes to secure access to a listed home.
If a buyer wants to view a home that is for sale, they can use their real estate agent of choice to access the home at their convenience. It's important that if a potential buyer wants to see a home, they can view that home regardless of the availability of the listing agent. If a potential buyer has taken off work to see homes, a lockbox allows them to visit a property.
While this may appear to be less "secure" than the traditional "I'll meet you there" way of showing a home, the use of electronic lockboxes has proven to be not only convenient but an extremely safe way to sell your home. The only people that have the ability to open a lockbox are the Realtors who are a part of an Association and pay for that privilege, unless they authorize a one-day code to an approved vendor.
A listing agent is immediately notified anytime a lockbox on one of their listings is opened. As an added level of security, an electronic record of a showing is kept with the time, date, and person who entered. This is not possible with a combination lock. Sellers can request that an electronic lockbox be used to secure their home during the listing process.
No matter how far technology advances, there is nothing that could replace a Realtor when it comes to making the most important purchase of your life. Nine in 10 home sellers work with a real estate agent to sell their home, and this is consistent across all ages according the National Association of Realtors 2018 Home Buyer and Seller Profiles. To find a Realtor for your home buying and selling needs, please go to our website at easternctrealtors.com.