Lock Boxes! AGAIN?!

The majority of our listed properties here in Portland, OR are on lockboxes.  Makes it very convenient.  Trying to arrange your schedule, the buyers and the listing agents is very difficult to do.  Call, set and appt., and get in through the lockbox!

I had a short sale client who had no lock box.  I was present at every showing, except one, when teh homeowner opened the house.   It was a bit more difficult, but I tried to make it easy for any agent who wanted to show.

I also tried to be extra friendly and give the agent and client time to talk privately.  At one showing, I entertained the four year old, so mom and dad could really look at the house.

The short sale is now under contract.  It is a great house at a great price, and it was worth the extra effort.

Would I do it again?  Yes.  Will I do it for every client.  No.

This is normal practice in my area for high end listings.  In fact, most buyer agents in these situations prefer me to give the tour of the home, because at that price level the homes can be complex.  At the end of the tour, I walk to the far end of the house so the agent and potential buyers can talk.  I don't have many high end listings, so most of my listings on on Supra electronic keyboxes, including my rentals.

Pretty simple; if you want to sell your home, you need to make it easy to be shown so a Buyer knows what it is you are selling.... 

I will start by saying the Supra Lockbox is great and I use it when it is appropriate. There are some situations where I haven't used a lockbox. Years ago I had a client that had a very valuable art collection consisting of paintings they had loaned to art museums. I did go and open the house but made an effort to stay out of the way when the agent was showing the property. That way I knew the property was secured and the alarm was set. I have a listing with a very valuable collection of southwest art and antiques. I do open the house and stay out of the way when it's being shown. If you feel that the use of a lockbox is not appropriate for a particular property than you need to be available when another agent wants to show it.

Jacqueline Drake CRS

When there's no lockbox, or it's not easy to get in, I've recently had a savvy buyer tell me she smelled an opportunity to get into a home w/o bidding wars.

Joni - Love it!  Have not heard of this type service.  Used to the call the listing agency and.....  Might be a niche for a new service here.

You never really know whether the lack of a lock box is the seller's idea or the agent's.

My experience is that when faced with this barrier, no lock box, that's just the first barrier to sale of that property. 

It's often about CONTROL and the seller or the listing agent wants it from the beginning to the end of the process of selling that home, if it sells.

Joni,

Great blog and congratulations on being featured.  I think it has a lot do to with how motivated the seller is.

Joni, The subject is back and I so agree if the house is vacant, a short sale, sellers work all day, there are no pets etc. There are times the central showing service is down, busy, closed or just not answering.

but you might want to read...

It's Not Lockboxes...It's How Agents Use Them! 

Selling a Home is about making it available.  Put a lock box on and have it available as much as possible with as little notice as you can stand.

Hi Joni,

That's interesting about the showing service.  We have lock boxes that require an electronic key that you only get when you are a member of our MLS system.  Then when you use the key it registers all of your Realtor information. 

I have one listing that doesn't have this lock box and it has tenants so they want me to show otherwise, I totally agree with you and think anytime the agent has to accompay me with my buyers is just one more person to have to work into the scheduling. 

The old lock box debate rears its head again.  So, so different around the country.  We do not put lockboxes on homes in Los Angeles.  The listing agents show their listings.  Occasionally you have the odd lazy or unmotivated agent, but it is how it works here and it works well.

I would not take a listing without a lockbox back when times were good.  Definitely wouldn't do it now.  It is too hard to sell without making it deliberately harder!!!