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"Spin your digits"...and check your doors

By
Property Manager with AmeriTeam Property Management SL#3200658

"Spin your digits"...and check your doors

I had a few showings today- all with traditional lockboxes.  My prospects from one of my showings had left, and I went through the condo once again.  I got in the habit of doing this a long time ago- after I caught a guy red-handed going back through a place I'd shown him and unlocking a back door for some future use.

Maybe he had good intentions...no- not possible.  I mean, how could his intentions be good if he was surely planning to go  back in the place for something?  I'll go with believing what he told me and that he planned to show the place to his wife who missed our appointment.

But guess what?  It's still unlawful entry, it's still wrong, and it would've opened me and my broker up to a world of hurt in the ol' "takin' care of the property" thing.  Can I be frank with you?  It was just a dirtbag move.

Fast-forward to today.... I was putting my key back in the lockbox, and it hit me that I also need to do a better job of the old "spin your digits" thing".  Sure, I spun them as I was leaving- but I look to spin the digits at the beginning of showings- and not leave the lock set on the code while having a showing.  That way, wayward kids, grandparents or cousins can't jot the thing down and come back later for any kind of browsing or pseudo-shopping that'd leave me holding the bag.

Sooooooo..... with that in my head, I bounce over to my next showing- remembering to spin my digits in the beginning.  All was great.  The prospect like it, but thought his wife might have a problem with the way the detached garage is situated.  He said he'd apply for the place, though- and bailed out for parts unknown.

I'm making my round of making sure lights are off, etc., when my phone goes off with the following text:

"If you come early enough.  Ill show you the last townhome.  I left it open in the back!"

Oops... Einstein had apparently sent me the note intended for his wife.  Unbelievable...

I wrote back and told him what he'd done and that it was a bad move, and received the following:

"Busted!!! Hahaha"

I can assure you one thing:  I don't think it's one dang bit funny.  Finishing my round, I found that he had indeed unlocked the back door to the place.  Just looking to show the wife?  Possibly, even probably.  Best way to handle things from his end?  Absolutely not.

Some may think I'm making a mountain out of a molehill (with no reference to a recent post of mine intended)- but I take keeping an eye on my owners' property very seriously. 

I hope this scenario serves as a "booster shot" of sorts for some of you as it's been for me- or maybe a wake-up call to some of you who've had the good fortune of not having been touched by this type of thing before.

Whether it be on the sales side or property management side, our owners' trust in us is the bedrock upon which the rest of our business is built.  If owners can't trust us to tend to their most valuable of possessions- what good are we to them?

"Spin your digits"...and check your doors


 

Posted by
 
DENNIS B. BURGESS
Property Manager

Licensed Florida Realtor
 
AmeriTeam Property Management
845 N. Garland Ave., #200
Orlando, FL  32801
 
 
 
205-445-4755 cell/direct
407-901-3636 x103 office
407-901-5147 office fax
 
Turning vacant into occupied, and "houses" into "homes"SM
 

Comments (2)

John Manuwal
Keller Williams Northwest Montana - Kalispell, MT
Kalispell Montana Agent and Photographer

Don't forget the windows. I had a guy try that once. What are they thinking?

Sep 26, 2011 03:48 PM
Dennis Burgess
AmeriTeam Property Management - Mid Florida, FL
Orlando Property Manager and Realtor

Hi, John:  Thank you for stopping by, and for your comment.  Not exactly sure what all runs through these folks' minds- but it always seems like "I could get caught and prosecuted"  is one of the last things that does.  The guy today is probably thinking "nobody got hurt"- so no problem" or something like that.

Sep 26, 2011 05:06 PM