If you are selling your South Lake Tahoe real estate, you have probably spent quite a bit of time prepping your home for the market. Cleaning, de-cluttering, packing, staging and whatever else your South Lake Tahoe realtor suggested probably topped the list. Now that the for sale sign is up, you may feel like your work is done. But not so fast! Let’s talk about safety when selling your South Lake Tahoe real estate. After all, your home is going to be toured by strangers and when it comes to your retreat away from the rest of the world, you want to make sure you feel secure when selling real estate in South Lake Tahoe.
1.) Hide the valuables. To a seasoned South Lake Tahoe realtor, this seems like the most obvious first step. However, if you are new to this process, you may not realize that even though a potential buyer will be accompanied by their realtor, that doesn’t mean you are 100% guarded from theft. So put away the prescription meds, lock of the jewels, expensive art, electronics and any financial information laying around. This includes personal information such as bills, anything with your social security number or private paperwork. Keep in mind people open drawers and closets to asses the storage situation so lock this stuff up in a safe.
2.) Don’t open the door for just anyone. Bad guys come in all shapes and sizes so if you do not have an appointment already lined up and someone comes knocking on your day, don’t trust them immediately and let them in. First, call your South Lake Tahoe realtor to confirm the appointment. If they are unaware of the scheduled appointment, ask to see the license number and name of the person at your front door. Before allowing entry, google the name and see what comes up. Realtors have their contact information and pictures all over the internet. If someone is who they say they are, you will be able to identify them quickly. If your front door doesn’t have a screen door, talk through the window or leave the chain lock still on. Unless your showing instructions say to go whenever without notice, people should be following the rules you set forth for viewing the real estate in South Lake Tahoe.
3.) Speaking of locking doors, lock yours! Just because you think someone is going to be there in minutes doesn’t mean you should leave the door unlocked. The realtor could be running behind for whatever reason-the client got stuck in traffic, they got stuck in traffic, they got caught talking with the neighbor at the prior property. Whatever the reasoning is, by leaving it open, you risk allowing for unwanted intruders. Since Realtors can access the lockbox, there is really no reason to do this.
4.) Contain your pets. We know, your sweet little fluff ball wouldn’t hurt a fly but there are a few reasons why you should keep your furry companions from roaming freely. Not everyone loves pets, in fact some people are terrified of certain domestic animals, or allergic. Don’t put off a potential buyer by making them feel like they have to rush through the property because of your animals. They won’t really “see” the home or the features it has to offer. Also, let’s just establish that some dogs may not be your typical guard dog-however when it comes to their home and strangers, you can just never be too sure. After all, you are liable. So either put them in the garage, in a kennel, bring them to work or drop them off at a sitters to ensure all your tours have good experiences.
For more information on safety while selling, give us a call!
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