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Supra -vs-Sentrilock - the madness continues!!

If you're selling real estate in Chicago's western suburbs - I feel your pain. The Supra/Sentrilock fiasco continues making life difficult for the average REALTOR. A few months ago -a majority of the Chicago area Realtor Associations switched to the new REALTOR owned Sentrilock lockbox system. But a few associations, such as Aurora Tri-County and Fox Valley Association of Realtors re-upped their contract with Supra.
Towns like Aurora, Naperville & Oswego were caught in the middle. With Realtors from many different boards selling in those areas - it's a coin toss as to whether you'll find a Supra or Sentrilock lock box on a listing when you go to show it.
I was out showing houses yesterday and of the 5 listings I encountered - there were 2 sentrilocks, 1 supra and 2 combination keylocks. Hard to believe there can be so much difference in one market. So, to work effectively - REALTORS in this part of the Chicago burbs now have to license both a supra and a sentrilock system. Fork out the $$$$ boys and girls. Trying to decide which lockbox to put on that new listing is a crap shoot. Just to be safe - I put a combination on every listing in addition to a Supra keybox.
Neither system is perfect - but if I had to pick one I would pick the Supra System. Both systems require you to update your key on a daily basis (synchronizing over the inernet) - but what if you head out for showings and forget to update your key? Supra has an 800# you can call to update your key 24 hrs a day. Sentrilock has a phone number that is only available until 5pm. That doesn't help much. Supra allows you to download a showing history for your keyboxes via the internet. Sentrilock requires to to visit each keybox and punch in a series of codes to download the showing history for the keybox to your smart card. Carrying 20 listings? Have fun - it's a little cumbersome.

Bo Buchanan, Kettley Realtors 58 Chicago Rd, Oswego IL. 60543 (630) 846-4663

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Posted by Bo Buchanan, Blue60.com Directory for Real Estate Pro's & IllinoisHouseHunter on 07/25/2008 12:43 AM

Comments (9)

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9 Comments on Supra -vs-Sentrilock - the madness continues!!

JUL

2008

Sounds like a major pain in the neck. I would think the boards would want to get together and make it easy for their members.

Interesting. We use Supra here...and I appreciate the critical comments on both. We are fined here if we put a combination lockbox for access on a listing that is in MLS. You can imagine the cost that REO Realtors incur from keeping legal!

I would have preferred the old fashioned combination boxes. It must be expensive to belong to two area with different lockboxes.

Bo- I belong to MORE and use the new Sentrilock. As far as accessing our showings, we don't have to put in numbers, once we assign our lockbox we just go to the website, click on the listing address and get our showing history via our computer...not sure about downloading to our card as I have always viewed and printed that way. As far as not updating our card, we are able to call a 800 number and get a one day access code to get in and/or update our card. We are also able to give agents who are still on Supra a code and they can get into our listings where if you are using a Supra we can not get into your lockboxes.

The switch has been a little hectic, and I agree that all of our boards should use 1 system, but I honestly haven't had a problem with the new Sentrilock. Just my $.02.

Bo, in my part of Ohio most Realtors use the combination lock box. However, in the southern counties many use Supra. In order to work in both areas I had to get (and pay) for a Supra. I'm not complaining about that because I have done a lot of business in the southern counties and have used my Supra key a lot. I do agree, however, that there ought to be an industry agreement (at least area specific) as to which type of system will be used. That certainly would simplify things and not place you in the undesirable position of having to pay for multiple systems.

I must say that I do like the security features connected with Supra and agents I've spoken with that do use them like the reporting features.

AUG

2008

Bo,

SentriLock telephone support hours just extended to midnight Eastern Standard Time.

Through the automated telephone system, you can renew your card at a lockbox 24 hours a day. How often you can do this is decided by your association.

Thank goodness in our neck we only have and have for awhile. I feel your pain.

SEP

2008

Ugh...and I thought it was bad here. I can't wait for the day when we can just put our thumb on something and the door magically opens. No keys...just access. :)

JAN

We are in the process of going through this...it sounds like it went as well in your area as I expect it to go here :(.

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