Safety Tips for Home Showings

By Fran Campbell - December 13, 2019

When selling a home at the Lake of the Ozarks, one of the concerns we hear from the homeowner is about the safety of their home during showings. Having a stranger walk through your home can make some feel uneasy, but here at the Fran Campbell Team, we take every precaution to ensure the safety of your home. In today's blog, we have a few safety tips to consider for showing your Lake of the Ozarks home.

Depersonalize Your Home

Depersonalizing your home is actually essential for two reasons: 1. to allow buyers to envision themselves in your home, and 2. to protect your family's safety. If you've got tons of photos of your family up on the walls and in every nook and cranny in your home, buyers may easily become distracted by this and have a hard time picturing building their life in your space. On the safety side of this, part of effectively marketing your home is to market it online. Once your agent puts your listing up on the MLS, your home becomes visible across hundreds of real estate websites. Having pictures of your family, children, or even family member names (wall decor) online provides a lot of information to strangers that can be very dangerous.

Lock Away Valuable Items

This really should go without saying, but we're going to say it anyway. Lock away your valuables. We'd like to think that most people have good intentions and wouldn't take something that isn't theirs. But that's just not always the case. Not only will locking away your valuables (such as jewelry, firearms, etc.) prevent them from disappearing during a showing, but this can also prevent future break-ins from happening.

Keep Personal Information Out of Sight

Anyone taking the time out of their day to walk through your home probably has a pretty genuine interest in your home. But every now and then, there are those who are looking as a way to case your home. While you've thought about the valuables, have you thought about your personal information? Protect yourself from identity theft or from coming into harm's way by keeping your bills, invitations, calendars, etc out of sight. Wandering curious eyes can catch the most seemingly minute things and in the wrong person's hands, your identity or privacy could be compromised.

Only Allow for Scheduled Showings

As a seller, you may be anxious to get any and all offers on your home. And you may be chomping at the bit to see some activity of any kind. Oftentimes, when your home is listed for sale, your agent will post a "for sale" sign outside to draw interest from passersby. This could seem like an invitation to come to just swing by and ring the doorbell expecting to be able to walk through your home at a moment's notice. While they may truly have an interest in your home, it's better to be safe than sorry. And it is okay to decline them the opportunity. Simply say "I'm sorry, now is not a good time. But you can schedule a viewing with my real estate agent", and hand them your agent's card. If they're truly interested in viewing your home, they'll make the appointment.

Contact Our Team of Professionals!

One of the best ways to ensure the safety of your home is to hire a professional real estate team at the Lake of the Ozarks to handle showing your home. Our team of experienced agents is here to help ensure the safety of your home during the selling process. When you're to get your home SOLD, contact the Fran Campbell Team!