I've been visiting a lot of FSBO's lately in and around my neighborhood of Barnegat and along The Jersey Shore and I've noticed something that I think all For Sale By Owner participants need to be a little more cognizant of; safety. I've called ahead and and explained who I was a wanted to see thier house and not one owner asked for my identification. Think about that, all I did was say, "Hi, I'm Karl Hess with Keller Willams Realty here on The Jersey Shore and I want to see your house." What happens? They open the door and say, "come on in." Not the best of methods. Here are a few tips to make your day a little safer:
- Never set an appointment with anyone to see your home unless they have given you thier name and number and you have called to verify that number. An easy way to do this is to say; "Let me check with my husband/wife for the best time and I will call you back." Use this method even if you are not married.
- Never let potential buyers know your schedule. don't ever tell them when you won't be at home, when your spouse won't be home, when you pick up the kids, when you work, when you will be on vacation, etc.
- Never give a caller information about your home's security such as deadlock bolts, security systems and so forth.
- Always have a back-up plan when you allow strangers into your home, especially if you have children. Have a neighbor look out for you until the lookers have gone.
- Never let a stranger into your home without seeing some identification. If the person says he/she is a real estate agent, ask for a card, then call his/her office to verify information if you don't recognize the person.
Part 2 of Jersey Shore Safety Tips follows.....
Karl Hess, Barnegat Homes and Real Estate, Your Agent on The Jersey Shore
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