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What's not yours - is not yours to take

What's not yours - is not yours to take!

I had something totally different planned for tonight's post but a recent turn of events compelled me to write this instead.

Have you ever had a problem where a seller accused of your buyers taking something from their house? Or maybe you felt you needed to grow eyes in the back of your head, when showing houses to your buyers whose children kept asking ever five minutes if they could take this or take that. What do you do? I guess it depends who you are, what your values are and from where you are coming from.

Why am I writing about this? My 8-yr-old son learned a hard lesson today. A couple of his favorite toys were missing - right after a new friend left our house. He was really sad and upset. He couldn't believe somebody could do that. I talked it through with him, trying to explain all angles.

We talked about how not to jump into conclusions - yet the friend had asked if he could have the toys - the answer was no, how not to accuse somebody blindly - yet the friend quickly had to run to my son's room just before leaving, how not to leave things out that he didn't want anybody to take (can you protect everything? -no), how not to take what is not yours - I guess my son already knew that, and how to deal with the situation now.

So, as it pertains to real estate:
Sellers - keep your valuables or any other precious posessions locked up and out of plain site. So often we see watches, jewelry, even money left on dressers etc. Put them away.
Even if you are viewing an abandoned house or a property with personal posessions left behind - they are not for you to take.
Some buyers like to touch and feel things as they look through the house. Please be respectful and careful. It is never a good idea to accidentally knock down that Ming Dynasty vase.
Approach the situation calmly and professionally if something is missing from your sellers house - investigate - rather than jumping on the last set of buyers to walk through, only to find out that the seller had merely misplaced the "missing" item.

I could tell a few stories... but I have a looong market report to finish, and I think I am ready for it now.

Rita

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Copyright 2009.© Kenna Real Estate. Rita Burke. Highlands Ranch Real Estate. Highlands Ranch Real Estate Agents Brian Burke and Rita Burke. All Rights Reserved. Mar 6th 2009. "What is not yours - is not for you to keep"

Posted by Rita Burke ~303.955.4220 ~ Greenwood Village CO Real Estate on 03/06/2009 12:30 AM

Comments (26)

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26 Comments on What's not yours - is not yours to take

MAR

Hi Brian and Rita!
We have had two incidents of wallets disappearing from houses during a showing. The first time the sellers found the wallet when they finally moved. In the second, the seller thought they had hid the wallet under some towels...and now it is gone. The bottom line?...NEVER LEAVE YOUR WALLET AT THE HOUSE!!!!

All too true! Fortunately the California listing agreement refers to locking up valuables, so it's easy to recall in all discussions.

I have seen it all, from check books, to $100 tickets to the Bucks games, to jewelry, You name it!

Now we have been told to have the sellers hide their prescription drugs! They have been disappearing on occasion.

Paula - yes disappearing wallet is not good! It's lighter than it used to be already.

Vickie - that's nice to have it on the agreement

Pat - oh, now that you mentioned it, I have heard about the prescription drugs. Jewelry was on our list too.

I hate it when youngests have to learn a lesson like this.... I hope his friend grows some morals overnight... it has happened... and good point on the seller side

One hates to think that this will happen but it does. I think that all kids do this. I know that both my kids have had things disappear. When I found out that my older daughter had taken a friends toys she had to go give it back in person. It was a big lesson and one that I hope she doesn't forget.

I once did a showing of a home. On the kitchen table where bank statements, bills, and of all things a checkbook. Very scary that someone would leave those items laying around while the home is on the market and strangers are coming in everyday to view it.

Brian and Rita, great post! I don't know why people don't understand this. If it isn't yours, LEAVE IT ALONE! That goes beyond stealing things from sellers or your play mates, that also means don't use or touch it without permission! Sorry, this is one of my pet peeves, and I had to vent!

Hopefully your son will get something out of this and his things are just mis-placed or if the friend did take them he has a change of heart and comes back with an appology.

As for sellers and buyers? How many times have we seen it that thing disappear that shouldn't even at a final walk through from the other side of the table. Heck a foreclosure house that has all the pipes stolen out of it.

Only thing I've had a seller missing was unmentionables.

Last year I showed a house with a gun in plain site. The seller was a police officer and his "piece" was left lying out. I think that was the first day I showed homes to a buyer, a young fella, that pointed it out to me and said "that's not right."

That sounds horrible, but I can see it happening-Dinah Lee

It is really amazing what folks leave lying about in their homes. I feel that we are all too trusting when it comes to the real estate professionals. What can happen right...

Your building consultant in the Fairview, TN area ~ Michael

This is one of my speeches whenever I list a home. It is much better to be safe than sorry:)

A very good post and so true, sellers need to lock up their valuables!

I"ve never had any issues with this in my business - I guess I'm just lucky.

A really good post. This is one of my worst nightmares; I watch buyers like a hawk.

Rit - we do hear stories fairly regularly about things being taken, and even some scams going on, especially at open houses. Ironica;;y a good frined had a broker open at her new listing the other days. All brokers no folks off the street. Her seller called that night to say someone had been through his medicine drawer in the bath, everything was moved around, and a bottle of Levitra was taken. Hmmm. So one might assume it was a guy, but perhaps not. :)

Jeff

Jeff - that's funny - in a way... I guess somebody really needed it (maybe it was the husband after all)

Maureen - that reminds me we did show a home once with hand cuffs and police scanners on the night stand.

Bill - we had a seller who had all this amazing art work and collections, we very strongly urged them to put it all away.

And on another note - my son's situation got sorted out this morning. The friend had forgotten to put the toys back and took them home. He brought them to school today and apologized.

MAR

I also have heard stories about this so your post has great information. As for your son's friend, I hope they can stay friends.

Unfortunately Rita, I have experienced this same kind of stuff in the past! Not a good thing!

Hi Rita, you can't imagine how many times I see money, checkbooks, jewelry and credit cards out while showing buyers. Just yesterday the seller of one of the properties I showed left a $1,000. check out on the kitchen table.

I'm sorry your son had to learn this hard lesson.

Rita - I am sorry your son had to go through that. That is very disappointing and have experienced it with my kids as well. I cannot agree with you more about leaving out personal items of any value, it is not worth the risk.

I inspected a house once, me and the realtor was there, and there was about 200 bucks in loose bills spread all over the couch, down in the cushions. Soon as I saw that, I suggested that the realtor and I stay together in that room, to vouch for one another.

Rita--I'm glad your son's friend "came clean" and returned the toys. Hard lessons indeed at that age. As for real estate, we've seen it all here... one house that had been in escrow and the tenants apparently didn't get the word it was back on the market (mls indicated just call, leave message and go). The kitchen counter was piled high all the way around with various items of intrique, including cuffs, bags of undetermined substances, etc, etc... my clients didn't make an offer--go figure!

MAR

I see the comment where things got resolved. That's good.

The home inspector I use will sometimes call me to come see something, and invariably it's money in a kitchen drawer or laying around in the master bedroom. I wish I was rich enough to leave money laying around.

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