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Abandoning Lockboxes is a Terrible Way to Do Business

By
Real Estate Agent with Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker DRE #00697006

We decided a while back to put all of our Weintraub & Wallace lockboxes into one account. So went down to visit Metrolist and came back to my home office to discover my membership in MLS had been terminated -- by mistake. When I asked after-the-fact for the paperwork that the clerk forgot to give to me, it did not say my membership should be terminated, so I don't know why he did it. But I had to get it reversed. Like pronto.

Now that we have merged all of the lockboxes, we have to account for each of them. I have never lost a lockbox in my life, to the best of my knowledge. Never forgot to pick up a box. I certainly would not abandon a lockbox like some agents. Even when we bought our home in Land Park, now that I pause to reflect, that idiot agent left the lockbox on our house. After repeated calls to remove it, I finally cut it off with a reciprocrating saw. Took me a good 15 to 20 minutes of constant sawing.

You can read more about this from my partner, JaCi, in our personal blog today at this link: Some Realtors Do Not Follow Up With Other Sacramento Realtors.

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Elizabeth Weintraub is co-partner of Weintraub & Wallace Team of Top Producing Realtors, an author, home buying expert at The Balance, a Land Park resident, and a veteran real estate agent who specializes in older, classic homes in Land Park, Curtis Park, Midtown, Carmichael and East Sacramento, as well as tract homes in Elk Grove, Natomas, Roseville and Lincoln. Call Elizabeth Weintraub at 916.233.6759. Put our combined 80 years of real estate experience to work for you. Broker-Associate at RE/MAX Gold. DRE License # 00697006.

Photo: Unless otherwise noted in this blog, the photo is copyrighted by Big Stock Photo and used with permission.The views expressed herein are Weintraub's personal views and do not reflect the views of RE/MAX Gold. Disclaimer: If this post contains a listing, information is deemed reliable as of the date it was written. After that date, the listing may be sold, listed by another brokerage, canceled, pending or taken temporarily off the market, and the price could change without notice; it could blow up, explode or vanish. To find out the present status of any listing, please go to elizabethweintraub.com.

Comments(9)

Joseph Domino 480-390-6011
HomeSmart - Scottsdale, AZ
Real Estate Made Easy

Seems like bad business too me. I cannot afford to just leave lockboxes in place. Besides, then I would have to go buy more and register them, etc.

It is a crazy business sometimes.

Apr 19, 2019 12:26 PM
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Hello Elizabeth- - -you would think assigning a lockbox to a property wouldn't require a lot of effort - a checklist item really - but this seems to be something that creates drama where bigger/more important issues truly exist. 

Apr 19, 2019 01:40 PM
Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

I have always thought it odd that an agent would leave a lockbox behind.  They aren't so inexpensive that it should be a common occurence. But, it does happen!  And, like you mention, it takes time to saw one off!

Apr 20, 2019 01:22 AM
Sheila Anderson
Referral Group Incorporated - East Brunswick, NJ
The Real Estate Whisperer Who Listens 732-715-1133

Good morning Elizabeth. Lockboxes are the only way to be productive in selling a home.

Apr 20, 2019 04:33 AM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Hi Elizabeth- we chose to rent when we returned to Houston to give us time to find what we wanted. The agent was a lovely lady but we did have to call to ask that the lock box be removed from the front door as well as the back fence. 

Apr 20, 2019 01:46 PM
Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

Happy Easter, Elizabeth!  I know you probably have your toes up in that warm Hawaiian sun.  Lucky you!

Apr 21, 2019 04:51 AM
Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker

Happy Easter to you, too, Myrl.

Apr 21, 2019 11:04 AM
Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker
Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA
Put 40 years of experience to work for you

Thank you everyone for your comments. Unfortunately, I have been too busy helping an injured friend to respond to each of you but I will rectify that with my future blogs.

Apr 21, 2019 11:04 AM
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

Given their cost, Elizabeth... you can bet I wouldn't be "abandoning" any of my boxes and I have them for two states, no less. I do have one "inherited" box... it was a listing where I was the second agent in after the first listing term expired. The first agent never picked up the box and then died. After hearing that story, my board just gave me the shackle code and told me to keep the box.

Apr 24, 2019 08:30 AM
Michael J. Perry
KW Elite - Lancaster, PA
Lancaster, PA Relo Specialist

You just reminded me that there is still a LB on a Service Door for the garage on a property I bought 6 years ago !!

Apr 23, 2024 06:08 AM