While talking to some fellow agents about the rash of break-ins lately on vacant homes, someone suggested this great idea:
After your seller moves out, even if the home is SOLD already, you should think about staging it with a few items that make it look occupied.
Thieves are looking for vacant homes and easy targets to rip out copper and anything else they can get their hands on. Homes with real estate signs in the front yard and overgrown grass are screaming to thieves that they are an easy target.
Think about keeping the blinds closed, all except maybe one front room where you put furniture in it to make it look occupied.
Also, make sure you have someone picking up the junk fliers on the door, etc...
I have experienced two homes this year that were under contract and were vandalized. They were both bank owned and both caused quite a bit of damage. I represented the buyers in these cases and luckily everything was repaired before closing.
Have any of you thought about staging a vacant home- even if it is already SOLD when the sellers move out? It t seems like a costly idea, but you aren't staging to look pretty, just to look occupied so the furniture doesn't have to be great. Someone even suggested an empty pizza box on the counter!
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