Setting OFF Security Alarms While Showing Homes
This has happened to me many times and even a couple of times in one afternoon. It jangles the nerves of the buyers and doesn't do my blood pressure any good either.
Setting OFF Security Alarms While Showing Homes
Kathleen Daniels has challenged us to share one of our pet peeves as a real estate agent. I have more than just one such as poor or NO communication, not taking the job seriously but for this contest, I’ve decided to share my feelings on Security Alarms!
Once a home is listed for sale, the objective is to get as many qualified buyers as possible to sell it quickly for the most money. To do that, as listing agents and sellers, we must remove all barriers that may prevent potential buyers and their agents from entering the house for sale. One road block is Security Alarms.
In a perfect world, the listing agent will always answer his/her call and provide the buyer’s agent with the code and the buyer’s agent will be able to disarm the alarm and proceed with the showing but that doesn’t always happen..remember, we don’t live in a perfect world! Let’s get real, listing agents don’t always return their calls/texts/emails and they’re not always available to provide the buyer’s agent with the proper instructions. Some even put the alarm code in MLS, some forget to mention the alarm..
Here’s a true story I experienced a few months ago. Per MLS instructions, I called the listing office to set up an appointment, they took my information down, the day/time of the showing and advised me to go ahead and show, there was an electronic lockbox at the front door.
Easy enough! I arrived at the home with my buyers, open the lock box, retrieved the key, within a few seconds we were greeted by a beeping noise..You know the one you hear right before the alarm is about to go off. I immediately called the listing office, by this time, the alarm was going off. They knew nothing about the security alarm, tried to call the listing agent but unfortunately, she wasn’t answering her call. I tried a few things to disarm the alarm to no avail. Within ten minutes, the police arrived. Great! I explained what happened and why I was in the house. The listing agent finally called me back, apologized as she forgot to give her office the instructions. She gave the “secret code” and the code to disarm the alarm.
I thought I could leave but NO! Police had to get my information and do whatever he needed to do. I was lucky that my buyers were very patient and understanding. Not everyone is.
No, they did not purchase that home!
Homeowners are used to their alarm system, real estate agents are not. The purpose of having the alarm on is for protection, sharing the code with a bunch of strangers defeats that purpose.
Why having to deal with security alarm is one of my pet peeves and drive me absolutely bananas having to deal with them? Because my job is to show and sell homes, not try to figure out someone else’s security systems and possibly deal with the police. That makes me and the listing agent look like incompetent fools.
Beth Atalay, Broker/Owner
Cam Realty and Property Management
407-929-1852
Wheretoliveinorlando.com BethAtalay@Gmail.com
Your Orlando Agent - Where to Live in Orlando
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