Selling Your Home? Protect Your Belongings From Theft By Fake Home Shoppers With These Five Security Tips
Selling property is always a stressful process, so it’s understandable that many overlook their home security when conducting a sale. This most commonly occurs during the viewing process, when people are free to come and go from the property, often without a second thought of how secure possessions are.
While most people are likely viewing the property as honest buyers, there is always the chance that someone comes to your home as a fake shopper, and these people will take the opportunity to steal whatever belongings they can.
So, be sure to protect your belongings from theft by fake home shoppers with these five security tips:
Remove Valuable Belongings Prior To Viewings
It’s common sense but still worth mentioning – always remove any valuables before viewing your home for a buyer. This is easy enough to do as you probably want to give your home a look over to make sure it’s in top condition for the viewing, so simply take note of anything valuable that you want to keep safe and remove it from the premises or place into a locked container.
Consider locking away valuables such a jewelery, credit cards, cash, car and house keys, etc. Also, removing personal belongings is a good idea, as this helps to protect your personal information and privacy, which is often the target of thieves.
Be Mindful of Documents And Medicine
While these may not be considered valuable belongings, things such as prescription medicine and personal documents should always be kept out of sight for a house viewing.
Identify theft is a huge risk today and fake shoppers are using house viewings to get personal information from documents lying around homes – be mindful of this and keep all personal documents, letters, bills, and other mail out of reach.
Know Who Is Viewing
Unless conducting an open house viewing, you can request your real estate agent to get personal details from any viewers, including a name, address, current employer, etc. This serves mostly as a deterrent, as those unwilling to give this information may have the wrong intentions, while most will be happy to give this.
Try to Have Viewings Early As Possible
The earlier the house viewing the better, as daylight is often the biggest deterrent for a fake house shopper. Daylight hours are the busiest, so your street will likely have more activity throughout the day that thieves will find off-putting – most want to remain unseen so a room flooded with daylight is always a good form of protection!
Invest in Good Security Systems
If you don’t already have a security system in place for your home, now could be the perfect time to get one. Yes, you are moving out and won’t be needing it for long, but the added protection is well worth the price, while it may add value to your home or you can take it with you, depending on the type of system.
For instance, a basic security camera can make a world of a difference for home security during house viewings. Not only are they a good preventive measure for opportunistic thieves but could provide evidence of a theft should it occur.
If you have a home in The Coachella Valley and are concerned about the overall security of your property, see our page for special offers on a new alarm system, then contact the professional alarm consultants at Command One Security! We are eager to discuss with you the most effective and economical options we have available for home security today. Call us today at (760) 568-0052!