How to Avoid Getting Robbed From an Open House

2K Shares

Tips to Avoid Getting Robbed From an Open House

If you open your house to visitors hoping to sell it, it is only realistic to wonder if any strangers who come through your door are looking to steal something.

You don’t have to be suspicious by nature to want to protect your home and your valuables from unscrupulous individuals.

It is only common sense to take precautions during an open house.

After all, you don’t know who may come through the door. Most people arriving through the open house, your Realtor probably will not understand either.

The open house differs entirely from the typical environment where a real estate agent meets and qualifies a prospective buyer. The open house is free for all, where any Tom, Dick, and Harry are allowed in the door.

If you ask yourself, does an open house sell homes, the answer is cut and dry. You do not need to do an open house to sell a home! This is a real estate myth perpetrated by some realtors who use open houses as an opportunity to capture additional clients.

Buyers who are serious about purchasing a home will always schedule an appointment with a realtor to view a property they want to see. Common sense, right? Of course, it is!

Most exceptional real estate agents will review an open house’s pros and cons. Those that do understand there are significant downsides. Anyone can go to an open house. That says it all.

Ethical agents discuss with you the possibility that you could get robbed. If an open house is busy, there is a strong possibility that an agent cannot always watch everyone.

Some Real Estate Agents Never Discuss Theft

Unfortunately, many Realtors don’t want you to know that an open house brings security risks. These unprofessional real estate agents would rather keep their prospecting train rolling.

These same agents always fail to mention that the National Association of Realtors reports that a measly 2% of all homes are sold via an open house. Open houses are a waste of time for home sellers.

A real estate agent does an open house to meet potential clients they can work with! It’s all about them, NOT you. The best potential buyers are those that schedule real estate showings. It’s not open house visitors.

If you want to do an open house, follow the guidance on increasing your chances of not getting robbed! Below are some excellent tips that could help keep a robber away.

Tips to Protect Your Home During an Open House

Get a Realtor You Can Trust

The real estate agent you choose to help you sell your home is your primary partner throughout the sales process. This means you should be thorough in your decision-making process before picking just anybody to be your agent.

Get recent references, interview several candidates, and avoid picking anyone who gives you a bad vibe.

Your Realtor will be the first defense against any problems that may arise during an open house, so you want to be able to trust them completely.

Ask The Realtor to Bring an Assistant or Another Agent

Depending on your area and how desirable your home is, quite a few people could wander around the house at any given moment. This can quickly become too much for a single Realtor, so bringing someone to assist in the showing is best.

While the agent talks to potential buyers, the assistant can monitor all the other people walking throughout the house. Realtors usually prefer the owners to stay away from the open house to avoid complicating a sale.

If you aren’t there, you want someone to help watch the house while the agent works.

Of course, you can also attend the open house if you want to; make sure to let your agent do the selling – it’s what you hired them for, after all.

Let Your Neighbors Know About The Open House

If you get along with your neighbors, they can be a great asset while showing your home. Many will want to come by to take a look themselves.

Let your neighbors know you could help watch the house while it is being shown. They can watch for suspicious activity and let you or the agent know if something happens.

Just remember, you may get many false alarms depending on the individuals you have helping you watch the house.

Protect Your Valuables

It can be tempting to show off your favorite possessions when showing the house, but you should avoid keeping anything that doesn’t have to be.

One of the open house staging tips I recommend is putting away all your essential financial documents. Vital account numbers are the last thing you want to be careless about.

All the people viewing your home cannot always be observed, which means they will often have opportunities to steal if they choose to.

Keep valuables locked up and out of sight as much as possible to avoid tempting would-be thieves.

It is vital to hide your jewelry where nobody would think to look. Just because your jewelry is in a box does not mean it is safe. This is the first place a thief will look!

Another thing that potential burglars will attempt to steal is prescription drugs. Make sure these are hidden in a safe place. Here is a complete list of what to put away at open houses.

Take Pictures Before The Open House

Once you and the Realtor have arranged the house for showing, take photos of all the rooms and areas in the home so you have a reference after the visitors are gone.

This will allow you to spot any alterations or missing things quickly. If you do notice a probe, you can contact the authorities with confidence and an easy reference to show police.

Keep Track of Visitors With a Mandatory Sign-in Sheet

Visitors to an open house are usually asked to sign in as they come in, but not everyone does this. If you can have an extra person to ensure that people sign in and perhaps even keep track of cars and license plates outside the home, you will have a better handle on who has entered your home.

You will be able to track them if you suspect suspicious activity.

Consider Security Cameras and Alarms

Equipping your home with security alarms and cameras you can view from your smartphone is now possible. Set the alarm to notify you or the agent whenever anyone walks through the door, and keep the security cameras running throughout the open house.

This way, you can know exactly who is in your home and what they are doing while they are there. If your home has cameras, it is wise to turn it on during an open house.

A few years ago, in my hometown of Hopkinton, Massachusetts, a home was robbed during an open house. A five-thousand-dollar painting was stolen right off the wall.

The agent holding the open house didn’t even know the artwork was stolen because so many people were going through it at one time.

The owner immediately noticed when they returned home, but they could do nothing about it.

In another regrettable experience, an agent in my company held an open home in Milford, Massachusetts, and over ten thousand dollars worth of diamond jewelry was stolen.

Imagine coming home to that? You’ll probably want to puke.

Check Over Your Home After The Event Has Ended

Some burglaries will occur after the open house has ended. The criminal will go through the house and locate a window or door where he and his partners can enter later.

They will unlock this door or window and come back when people are not likely to be around. By going through the house after the open house, you can ensure all access points are locked and secure.

Alex Capozzolo, a Realtor and investor at Brotherly Love Real Estate in Philidelphia recommends walking through the house room by room to ensure all windows and doors are properly secured immediately after coming home.
He does this on all his homes, even those that are vacant. Alex says it’s crucial to do it right away, othewise you may forget.

It’s certainly sound advice and something all homeowners should do.

Hire a Security Guard

If you are showing a house or condominium in an area of town with a very high crime rate, you may want to hire an actual security guard. Off-duty police officers will sometimes work as security, or you could contact an actual security firm to employ a guard for the day.

Ideally, you could have the guard dressed in plain clothes to keep visitors comfortable and your home safe at the same time. While this will not be necessary for most locations, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Considering the recent up-rise in crimes committed against real estate agents, it only makes sense to take extra precautions when warranted.

Check Your Homeowners Insurance

It is crucial to check your homeowner’s insurance policy to understand whether it provides coverage for theft at an open house. Since open houses are prime opportunities for potential thieves to take advantage and steal valuable items, you’ll want to ensure protection.

Knowing the extent of your insurance coverage can provide peace of mind. You’ll have the necessary financial protection in the event of theft during an open house. Reviewing your policy and considering any necessary adjustments to protect your possessions is essential.

Don’t Host an Open House!

Deciding not to do the open house altogether may be the best advice! Many real estate agents will tell you that the actual benefits of an open house are minimal.

Even when you get many visitors to your home, very few are willing and ready to buy a home.

Some are just window shopping, some are curious about your life, and some are not qualified for a home in your price range.

It may be better to have your Realtor work on other ways to sell your home instead of putting your valuables at risk.

Talk to Your Agent For Advice

If your agent is insistent on the open house, they may have some good ideas on protecting your home while showing it. Sit down and have a frank discussion about your concerns, and ask the agent what they will do to address those concerns.

If the agent has shown plenty of homes before, they may have some practices to help reduce the chance of any problems during the showing.

As you probably guessed, I wouldn’t say I like open houses. I have never been and likely never will. Having been in the real estate industry for the past thirty-eight years, I know what works and what doesn’t.

I have been one of New England’s top RE/MAX agents over the last two decades and have rarely done open houses.

There are far better uses of one’s time. Buyers today are religiously on the internet searching for homes. If there is something they want to see, they will pick up the phone and call a Realtor for a showing. A first-time home seller must know this.

Genuine buyers don’t say to themselves, “If the agent doesn’t hold an open house, I’m not interested.” Get a Realtor with an incredible marketing plan; you’ll never have to worry about buyer activity.