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NEIGHBOURHOOD SUPPORT NEW ZEALANDSelling your home
Be careful when selling or advertising your property. Thieves look for items of interest in online advertisements. Avoid highlighting luxury and sought after or collectable items in photographs. Thieves notice homes that have Real Estate advertising signs. A weather beaten or damaged sign can indicate no one is home, just like piled up mail does. Selling a house can be stressful and it is easy to forget security measures. Property owners need to be aware of an increased risk of burglary or theft and take common sense precautions where possible. Homes should not look obviously unoccupied or uncared for. Most people appreciate neighbours removing junk mail or other rubbish from their property. [See the fact sheets on Reducing the burglar's opportunities and Who burgles a house and why?] Neighbours should be extra vigilant when houses in their neighbourhood are for sale. They should contact the owner or Real Estate agent if the house or advertising sign gets damaged. They should talk to people visiting the neighbourhood and take note of car licence plates or ring the Police to report suspicious activity. Some Real Estate agents use lock boxes to hold home owners keys so they can conveniently take potential buyers through houses. The lock boxes are robust but no match for a burglar determined to remove or smash a lock box open. Real Estate companies are mindful of security and will abide by your wishes. You should not agree to a lock box to hold your house keys if it makes you feel uncomfortable about the security of your home. If for any reason you need to divulge your alarm code, for example to a tradesman or to a Real Estate agent for an open home, you should change your alarm code afterwards. Before Real Estate agents show prospective purchasers through your home, they record their particulars; however these details are largely unverified. Having a Real Estate agent accompany people through your home helps to protect your property, but is not a guarantee that potential buyers will be escorted at all times. If a Real Estate agent suggests marketing your home with an open home, ask "What will this mean to me?" The names of all visitors to open homes should be recorded along with their telephone numbers and email addresses. Be aware that this does not ensure protection. You can insist that visitors are accompanied through your home. Don't leave cash or jewellery or other easily concealed valuable items on display or in cupboards and wardrobes that could be opened. Secure small valuable items safely away from prying eyes. These precautions also apply to owners who are marketing and selling their property privately. |
