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Do's and Don'ts when there are multiple lockboxes in a condo complex

Real Estate Agent with Alain Pinel BRE 01367196

March 09, 2011 07:25 PM

For the sake of agents who are either new, or would like to observe simple courtesies, here are some Do's and Don'ts when there are multiple condos (and lockboxes) at the same condominium complex.

Listing agent

Make it easy for the buyer's agent to identify your lockbox. Tape your business card AND the unit number on the outside of your lockbox
Include a key fob with the key or put something with/on the key to clearly indicate the unit number
Do not include large rings or chains that could get caught or cause the lockbox container to jam
Locate your lockbox where and if the association allows, and with other lockboxes so that it's easily found.
On the MLS info, clearly indicate where to find the lockbox
Update the status in the MLS...and when sold, REMOVE the lockbox!

Buyer's agent

Get keys one lockbox at a time, as a courtesy to other agents who may be showing property at the same complex (and to minimize your own confusion when it comes time to returning the keys to the appropriate lockboxes)
Double-check that you're opening the right lockbox for the unit you're showing. And if you make a mistake, put the keys back where you got them before you open another lockbox.
If you discover that the keys in the lockbox don't work, give the listing agent a courtesy call so that the agent can replace the keys with the right one
Before replacing the keys, make sure you have ALL the keys, and put the ALL in the lockbox.
When replacing the keys, don't force/jam the container in the lockbox.
If you inadvertently leave without replacing the keys, don't wait until the next day to return them. You will return them, won't you?

There! That wasn't so hard, was it?

Yet, why is this a recurring problem?

Just spent two hours undoing a problem created by an agent who got all the keys to all units at a condo complex, then mixed them all up when returning keys to the lockboxes.

Someone jammed my lockbox so I had to remove that lockbox and put up another lockbox with duplicate keys. Went to the local realtor association to get my lockbox fixed. Returned to the complex to check the keys that were returned to the lockbox and sure enough, they were not the right keys. Other listing agents were complaining about the mix-up but we simply didn't have enough time to check which keys belong to which unit.

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Steven Pahl

Keller Williams Tampa Properties - Tampa, FL

Real Estate Consultant Tampa, FL 813-319-6423

I can see why in a high rise that the agent wouldn't want to make several trips up and down to change keys, but they should have the sense to know which keys go back in which lockbox.

Mar 12, 2011 06:29 AM

Kimberly Brandon

Smart Moves Real Estate - Venice, FL

Broker/Owner

Great post -

Mar 12, 2011 06:34 AM

Harcourt Bethel - REALTOR®,CDPE,ABR®,SFR,ePro®,TRC,

Orlando, FL

Harcourt Bethel, CDPE,SFR®, ABR®,ePro®, TRC, NCHSE

Great and timely post. The problem with such mix-up, in my opinion, is that the Agent(s) that commits these crimes JUST DOES NOT CARE, and does not have respect for our Profession; all that's required is a little common sense and respect for the LA and other Agents that want to show the unit(s) - they need to be called out!

Mar 12, 2011 06:57 AM

Kathryn Acciari

Central One Federal Credit Union - Shrewsbury, MA

Mortgage Loan Originator

This is one of the annoying parts of our jobs. For listing agents, I'd recommend doing something extra to make the lockbox stand out. Like, a hot pink piece of duct tape wrapped around the hook of the lockbox. Anything would help.

Mar 12, 2011 07:27 AM

Lyn Sims

Schaumburg, IL

Real Estate Broker Retired

There's no minimum IQ for real estate. Here's the results.

Mar 12, 2011 07:55 AM

Brenda, Ron, Lee Cunningham & Tara Keator

West USA Realty - Phoenix, AZ

Realtors, Homes for Sale - Phoenix Metro

A lot of great ideas here!

Mar 12, 2011 08:04 AM

Antonio M. Cardenas Broker Associate

RE eBroker Group - San Leandro, CA. - San Leandro, CA

"The Realtors In Motion"

I have learned that going to a condo complex, I need to take with me a small pad of sticky notes. I put a number to the lock box and a number (typically the unit number) on the set of keys AND PUT THE KEYS ON DIFFERENT POCKETS so when I come back I know where every set of keys goes. Different envelopes can also work. When we create a mess, not only affect the listing agents, also prevents everybody else (including you, if you have to come back and show again in the complex) from showing the units. Congrats on the feature Pacita. Good subject to talk about.

Antonio

Mar 12, 2011 08:34 AM

DeeDee Riley

Lyon Real Estate - El Dorado Hills CA - El Dorado Hills, CA

Realtor - El Dorado Hills & the Surrounding Areas

Oh no Pacita! I'm sorry to hear that. Great tips though here and you are right - It really isn't that hard or that bad!

Mar 12, 2011 08:54 AM

The Hollinden Team

EXP Realty - Louisville, KY

Serving the Greater Louisville area

Pacita, great post. I have had to go get a screwdriver to open a couple of Supras. Later, the listing agent asked if I had any trouble as she could see several attempts to get into the box.

It seems like a no-brainer to label the boxes at a condo; but who am I?

Mar 12, 2011 10:04 AM

Georgie Hunter R(S) 58089

Hawai'i Life Real Estate Brokers - Haiku, HI

Maui Real Estate sales and lifestyle info

Yikes - what a nightmare. Here we can have the lock box at each unit to avoid that kind of confusion.

Mar 12, 2011 10:52 AM

Farooq Khan

5 Star Realty Partners - Newark, CA

Real Estate Broker/Owner - CDPE

Pacita, Great list of items for lock boxes at the condo entrances. The most important being marked correctly. Recently I have been to some which are not marked correctly. Great list to check off while placing a lock box and for buyer agents as well.

Mar 12, 2011 04:57 PM

Pacita Dimacali

Alain Pinel - Oakland, CA

Alameda/Contra Costa Counties CA

Wow...seems like a lot of us have run into these problems.

For those of us with multiple pockets --- putting keys in different pockets, and putting sticky note (thanks for the suggestion, Antonio) with the keys may work if the agent chooses to take multiple keys during one showing.

In my case, however, I have enough to carry (phone, car keys, lockbox key) and not enough pockets.

I have more than one listing in the same complex. So it is very important to indicate on the outside of the lockbox and WITH the key the respective unit numbers.

Now that listing agents will take all these precautions, let's hope the buyers agents will take as much care for the benefit of the other agents as well.

Mar 12, 2011 07:56 PM

Paula Burt

REALTOR , SFR, RECS

I haven't had to deal much with condos, but these are things I don't know if I would've thought of, so thanks for the info!

Mar 12, 2011 09:43 PM

David Cahill

Century 21 Cahill Associates - Boston, MA

Disgraceful! It really irks me sometimes when some agents don't take the time to do things right. Very selfish. Glad you got it straightened out. Thanks for posting!

David in Boston

Mar 13, 2011 04:19 AM

Karen Crowson

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage - Rancho Bernardo, CA

Your Agent for Change

Hey, and when it's sold - go back and take the lock box off (also, mark it sold on the MLS!) One of my colleagues took his clients to a condo, stated to be vacant, only to find it was occupied - by a cop no less! It had been sold nearly a year before, was still showing active on the MLS with a key to the place right out in front. Yikes!

Mar 13, 2011 04:32 AM

Robert Courtney

Lihue, HI

Century 21 All Islands, RA, CDPE, MCRE, CIAS

Not run into this situation. Makes sense to do something to ensure another agent can confidently go to a particular lock box and show your property.

Mar 13, 2011 06:08 AM

Gene Riemenschneider

Home Point Real Estate - Brentwood, CA

Turning Houses into Homes

This sounds like generally good and common sense. I can see where these could start to be a problem for some.

Mar 13, 2011 06:14 AM

Mary Sheridan

Keller Willliams - 1033 Hamilton Place,Johnson City TN 37604 - Johnson City, TN

Creative Marketing, Buyer Agency 423-943-7655

This is a great list. I wish all agents could see it, not just AR agents who are already careful and smart.

For situations where you can expect a lockbox problem , I liked the solution of Antonio and Alexia Cardenas - using sticky notes to mark keys with unit numbers if agents haven't been that considerate. Don't they realize that they're just making key mixup problems they'll have to solve when another property's key ends up in their box? Ounce of prevention worth pound of cure.

Mar 13, 2011 10:23 AM

Alicia Stukes

Exit 1 Stop Realty - Bowie, MD

GRI, CDPE, Notary

Yacita

Good information and thanks for sharing. I am a CMCA (Certified Manager of Community Associations) and AMS (Association Management Specialist) so I dealt with this issue many times with my colleagues in the industry on a few of the properties that I professionally managed. Upon making the connection with the agents (listing and selling) and informing them that I too am a agent as well as the manager for the community, I was able to establish a good rapport and many of them followed the guidelines set forth in the community rules for lockboxes. If the community does have policy governing the placement of lockboxes then you are correct....it can get messy and confusing. I have actually seen potential buyers walk away from a viewing appointment because the lockbox could not be located and the listing agent was not able to answer questions and the onsite management for the condominium association will not get involved in the marketing/showing aspect of the units for sale. It just makes life easier and more functional for all parties in the transaction.

Mar 14, 2011 02:52 AM

Gayle Barton, Forsyth County Real Estate

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY Georgia Properties - Cumming, GA

Cumming GA Homes For Sale (404) 710-0204

Pacita, sounds like I should just be happy that we deal only with single family properties in this area. The biggest problem here is opening a home with an alarm with no warning and no code information in the lock box. Yikes. That will wake you up!

Mar 14, 2011 06:53 AM