Selling Your Home - A Fsbo's Guide To Keeping It Safe
By Michelle Annese, Thu Dec 8th
Selling your home as a FSBO, you need a guide to keep safety inmind when prospecting potential buyers. The real estate industryhas seen a problematic climb in assaults towards realtors, andso is the concern for those who are selling their homes bythemselves.
Here are just seven ways designed specifically to protect you,your family, and your home, from being victimized:
1. Fully screen callers before allowing them an appointment forseeing your home. Ask all the questions: name, existing address,and telephone number. Where are they employed? Why are theylooking to buy? Do they have a family in the area? Any children?Ask as many questions until you feel comfortable with
thisperson.
2. Do not let unannounced visitors into your home unless youhave their information first. If you are alone in the house,have them come back later when there are others home. There isno reason why someone cannot be professional and make anappointment with you. Make sure there is more than one person inyour home when showing your property. Remember, safety innumbers.
3. If you must show your home alone keep a cell phone with you.If you are in danger of a potential buyer, you can easily call911 for help. In the event in needing to get away from someonerun out of the house into your vehicle or neighbor’s house.Remember, your life is more important than any property. Mostcriminals interviewed say they do not want to harm anyone whentaking valuables, prescription drugs or money. But if the homeowner puts up a fight, so will they. Let it go. Property andthings in your home can be replaced, your life cannot!
4. Tell your children, even if they are older to not let anyonein the house unless you are there. Even teenage children shouldnot let anyone into the house. More assaults are committed onyoung people from the ages of 15- 25 years of age than any otherage group.
5. Be very aware of virtual tours. If a virtual tour is anoption for selling your home, make sure there are no expensiveobjects in the room(s). Criminals look for opportunities such asthese to target homes to burglarize.
6. Let neighbors know you are selling your home. Check with themon a regular basis to see if anyone has been around the housewhen you are not there. Criminals will use an open house, or awalk-through to pose as a potential buyer to scope outproperties to burglarize later.
7. Keeping the curb appeal not only adds value when you areselling a home, but adds to the safety of your home as well.After searching a home during an open house, criminalsinterviewed say they look for high bushes near windows, notwell-lit areas of a home, and concealed entrances to come backand gain access to a home. Keep bushes trimmed low, repair oradd higher wattage light bulbs to existing lights, and keepentrances well lit for theft prevention.
Don't hesitate. If you're serious about selling your homeyourself, just make sure your safety plan is just as serious toprotect you and your family's future.
About the author:Michelle Annese is a 3rd degree black belt with 16+ yearsexperience teaching self defense and safety for women andchildren. She is an inductee to the World Martial Arts Hall ofFame and is the creator of Diva Defense Training, and TheSafeGuard System for Kids. All designed for woman and childrento learn self defense at home... FAST! Go tohttp://www.michelleannese.com for even more info.
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