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Which Lock Box System is Best

By
Real Estate Agent

Does the choice of a lockbox matter?  Do the older type lockbox systems influence the final transaction price or the marketing time of property?  These questions are often pondered by real estate professionals.  Older key and combination systems are low tech, easy to employ, and less costly to the broker.  Newer electronic lockboxes are often more complicated, provide additional information by way of technology, and are slightly more expensive than their low tech counterparts.  The trade-off is therefore between ease of use, information, and cost of operation.

If the different lockbox systems do not influence transaction outcomes (price and marketing time), then the choice of the lockbox system can be left up to the broker without costs to the sellers of property.  On the other hand, if one system produces either a pricing discount or extended marketing times, then brokers need to be aware of these differences in order to better serve their clients.

Research

Recent research by Benefield and Morgan answer these questions.[1]  The researchers directly test for the impact of lockbox type (newer electronic versus older systems) on property price and property marketing time.  After controlling for other difference in listings such as location, age, size, seller motivation, and quality, Benefield and Morgan find that older lockbox systems, on average, do not influence the time it takes to market property.  Property pricing, however, is another matter.  Specifically, Benefield and Morgan find a negative impact on price from the use of the older lockbox system.  More to the point, older lockbox systems appear to not influence marketing time but result in lower selling prices.  The pricing discount was a staggering seven percent on average.[2]

Implications

There is now statistical evidence (not just professional speculation) that indicates the inferiority of the older lockbox systems.
Therefore, wherever financially practical, brokers should stop their use of older key and combination lockbox systems in favor of the newer electronic systems.  It now appears that these newer electronic lockboxes lead to a better sharing of information and feedback between listing and showing brokers resulting in better prices.

Endnotes


[1]Benefield, J. D. and J. M. Morgan, Ease-of-Access, Home Prices, and Marketing
Times:The Choice of Lockbox Type, Forthcoming in the Journal of Housing Research.

[2] The authors believe that at least part of this discount is related to the type (mostly lower priced, lower demand) properties on which the older systems are employed.

Thanks to the crew at KCM for this information.

Comments (2)

Wale Adewoyin
1st Crown Realty Corporation 503-512-6200 - Saint Helens, OR

Greg you touched on my pet peeve. My main problem with whatever system is in place, increases the cost of business for the agent. We should all chip in and set up an agent run supra like operation. Everytime you turn around someone is dipping their hands in your pocket.

Dec 20, 2011 02:44 AM
Jon Eliason
EXIT Realty Advantage Pagosa, Pagosa Springs, Colorado - Pagosa Springs, CO

Greg ~ Within our local area in Pagosa Springs, we predominantly use the "Sentri-Lock" Card key Lock Boxes. I like them because all you need is an active card. I can call the listing office of a property to verify it's show-ability, but I don't have to worry about writing down a series of numbers or letters to gain access. It saves time and, I believe, money.

Dec 20, 2011 02:49 AM