Attention Home Sellers: Open House Alert

Attention Home Sellers: Open House Alert

For homeowners planning their first open house:  Hire a cleaning service.  Drop the pets off with a neighbor.  And lock up your valuables!  You never know who may be stopping by.

Even with home sales slumping across the country, the industry still looks to open houses to lure a maximum number of potential buyers.  But sellers need to beware of leaving valuables, especially jewelry, out during an open house.

Other tips: Stash prescription drugs out of sight, even if that means removing them from the medicine cabinet; lock up checkbooks and any sensitive mail; hide items like cameras and watches in a suitcase under the bed.

Use some common sense when making your home available for an open house.  Would you go away for the day and leave your front door open and a sign in the front yard saying, "No one is home, the door is open, come on in and help yourself to whatever you see that you like…"  ?

Of course not.  Then treat your valuables while your home is open for showing with the same caution.  Put valuables OUT OF SITE!