"Do NOT give out my lockbox code to anyone!"

Rich,  Thank you.  I wish we had a choice, but for now we are using the lockboxes and most agents (and brokerages) are extremely security pro-active with them.

Jasmine,   I don't know how often this was reported, but I would think that because NAR formally addressed it that means they've heard of several instances in which this happened.

Maureen,   The showing service must have had complaints coming in from agents and had that verbage added to their instructions.  I agree with you, shame that it even has to be said.

Chrissi,  I betcha that happened on a vacant home.  That's where the laziness on agents parts seems to come in to play.  Vacant to them means no harm, no foul.

Jo-Anne,  If I had REO listings I would put that language, as well as "If I catch you I'll report you"..I've never heard of the MLS keys before, but from what you described that sounds very secure.  Wasn't a bad idea at all.

J David,   That's a no brainer isn't it?  I don't know why any agent would use the default code, other than once again, laziness.

Bob & Carolyn,  I don't get it either.  Thanks.

David,  MA Pass sounds like a good system.  Unfortunately, the instances that we hear of this happening are to the vacant homes. 

Nancy,  I agree with you about a police report being filed.  If word got around that this was the consequence to pay I'd bet we wouldn't hear much more of it happening.

Monique,   Makes you scratch your head in wonder, doesn't it?

Kent,  In a perfect world that is the way all homes would be handled :-)  Those of us in service areas without Supra (or Sentra or one of the others) do all that we can do to keep our sellers homes secure.

Scott,   From what I'm hearing it's the REO properties that are the ones being violated.  A seller is a seller is a seller...they should be protected from intrusion also.

Linda,  I like the idea of a one day code.  Thanks for clarifying.

Jackie,  I've seen that also, often.  Do you remember our school lockers?  We always spun the dial on them, why wouldn't we do it on the lockboxes?  Makes no sense.

Dwayne,  I'm with you.  I think this is one of the most unprofessional things we could do, and yet the agents who do this must not care about what their buyers think of them.  I surely wouldn't hire an agent who could do this and expect them to handle my transaction with any care or trust.

Alan,  Have you reported those agents???

Billie,   You're right.  We do all we can then the choices are up to them.   Otherwise we'd be arrested for assault if we tried to change their behaviour as adults :-))

Tom,  I'd be a bit tougher.  Suspension on first offense. 

Aaron,   I think this is why having the Supra in our area was turned down by members..the cost.  Wish it wasn't.  I remember sending an email to our board asking them to approve it.  But my vote obviously didn't matter.

Wendy,   Wish they were here in my area.  Perhaps now that NAR added this our board will revisit the issue.

David,  I agree.  Because we the people are becoming more lazy more laws to control what should be common sense and decency are enacted.

John,   I haven't had a buyer ask yet, and can't imagine anything but "No" would come out of my mouth.  What I've wondered about the REO'S is this:  Since so many of them use the same codes, is that something that the bank owners insist on?  (For convenience to their contractors)

Glenn, The solution is in the hands of the mls or the local board  I fully agree!

Michael,  Haha!  If it was their own home I'm sure the agents wouldn't be giving it out.

Jason,  I hope they do also.  It's well past time.

Judy,   That's scary.  I can't believe the agent or their broker didn't pick up on the fact that it went into to the public remarks!!  Plus, it takes Realtor.com a few days to refresh any changes. 

Glen,   Brokers need to do their due diligence, I agree.  However, if brokers don't know their agents are doing this, they can't put a stop to it.  Reporting is the key.

Jackie,  I know!  How hard is it to turn the tumbler???

Clark,   Posting this article, and reading all of the responses has caused another "to do" item for Monday morning:  Calling our local board and asking why this hasn't been discussed again?  (Getting Supra or Sentra)  Thanks.

Vicki,   They'll care once they get reported and their is some teeth in the consequences.  Hopefully what NAR has done will raise awareness so agents will feel empowered to report.

Wayne,   Haha!  You bet.  21st century is what is needed everywhere now.

J Philip,  Pleaseeee tell me that the buyer knocked on the door and didn't have the lock box code.  If they did have the code, you need to report that agent to your local association. 

Jeff,  I consider myself blessed that I haven't run in to this personally, but you're right:  We need to report it each and every time it happens.  I'm not sure about what our local MLS has done, but now that NAR has made this official I'm sure the boards can't turn their backs on it.

Carol,  That's what I suspected (mandatory codes from the bank owned asset managers)  Your solution, having a Sentra also, makes good sense.

Isaac,   Absolutely!  Maintaining a standard of behaviour shouldn't be that difficult to do.

Frank and Sharon,  I'm glad they addressed it also.  Thank you.

No-Name:   That's one of the issues I have with this also:  How in the world can we expect consumers to have respect for our profession when we don't treat the profession with integrity?  The agents that do this give us all a black eye.  Thank you.

John,  You're welcome :-)  Isn't it always the case that a couple of bad apples causes these types of things to  become an issue?

Margaret,   Those incidents are scary AND should never have happened.  Once again, I wish our local association particpated in the electronic systems.

Bob,  That cracked me up :-))  Not sharing lock box codes?  I like how you keep your business and personal lives separate.

Mark,   It's unfathonable to me also and to most agents I would suspect.

Sherry,   We can keep them safe with good procedures, but I would much prefer the electronic ones myself.

Jeff,  You're welcome, thanks for stopping by.

Ann,  Doesn't surprise me.  I'm also glad you didn't meet a stranger at a home instead of your office for the first time.

Billie,   No need to stop, I always enjoy Mr. Ka Ka Heads responses to things :-)))   Hope you're doing well!  BTW, give it a year.  I bet some programmer will figure out a way for agents to type in feedback directly into the electronic boxes, then you can have your electronic conversations!!!  Not a darned thing that is techie suprises me anymore.   Uh oh.  Watch:  Someone will read this and do this and make a gazillion dollars and I won't see one cent of it.

Thesa,  I think in my area that it is the bank owned homes that this is happening to.  Many people above suggested using both the electronic access and lockboxes...electronic for agents, lockbox for service providers.

Maureen,   Aha!  I had no idea you could do feedback with it (or one of them :-)  There goes my gazillion dollar idea.. 

Our local associations don't use any form of the electronic boxes (sounds rare now from what I've been reading).  The CBS that you talked about sounds like a no-brainer.  Added security to the access is always best.  I still don't get why bank owned homes aren't treated to the same type of service.  I know that vendors need access (and probably don't have Supra or Sentra keys) so a lockbox just for them makes sense.  But I liked what I read about other REO agents who use both.  One set of access for agents, another to satisfy the vendor requests from the asset manager.

Some of the stories I've read from other commenters make me sick, as in the one you stated above.  You're right, with MLS participants and agents like this there really is nothing we can do to stop it.  What we can do is report them each and every time.