How should you secure your home for sale?
Imagine finally finding your dream home and now it’s time to sell your current estate. You’re going through the process of making sure the residence is show-ready, passing inspections, bank appraisals, and much more. There’s a reason moving is listed as one of the top three most stressful life events. Yet among these many concerns is one you may not have considered: How do you ensure that your luxurious Los Angeles property is secure once listed on the market?
Only last month, a dozen houses listed for sale in Southern California were burglarized of over $250,000 worth of items. You want to open your home to prospective buyers, not prospective burglars. Read on if you want to know how to keep your luxury home safe while you’re selling it.
Plan your showing procedures
As the value of a home increases, so does its public profile, which can potentially bring in more buyers, but also security vulnerabilities. Before any viewings, discuss showing procedures with your realtor. Make sure they’re researching visitors online in advance and have at least two people on hand during the showing. Before visitors enter, make sure the realtor has switched on all the lights and opened the window blinds. You don’t want any dark spaces where an intruder could stow themselves away. If you attend the showing, leave your car in an easily accessible place where you can’t be parked in. This is very important in case of an emergency.
Utilize insurance
When it comes to protection, be sure to utilize every tool in your arsenal. Make sure your homeowner’s insurance policy covers theft, damage, and injury on the property. This will protect you in case of any mishaps or accidents during a showing.
Secure your valuable property
Be wary of burglars seeking out easily portable, high-value goods. Before the showing, be sure to have your valuables like money, jewelry, prescription drugs, checkbooks, wi-fi logins, and anything else that might contain passwords or financial information locked away. Stow expensive laptops, stereos, and mobile electronics as well.
Take any pets outside
If anyone were to be attacked or accidentally injured during a showing, you would be legally responsible as the pet owner. Secure your pet in a kennel or have them placed outside in a gated area where no visitors would be able to approach.
Set boundaries
Visitors should only ever use the property’s main entrance and all other doors in or out should be secured and locked. This will make it easier for the realtor to keep track of how many visitors attend the showing. Have your pool, patio, lanai, and other outdoor areas secured with locks, lights, or expert alarm components, including security cameras. Install gates, anti-slip mats, and other safety features around patios, pools, and other potential accident areas to avoid liability or insurance scams, and minimize any risk of lawsuits.
Use surveillance cameras
Property surveillance is a great way to keep an eye on people entering your home, especially when you’re not there. Have your security cameras placed at exits and entrances, near any valuable items, along the perimeter of the property, and in any other areas monitored. Some high-quality home security systems include proprietary or smartphone applications that display views and trigger alerts from the surveillance system no matter where you are in the neighborhood or the world.
Be strict
The realtor should be checking photo ID, addresses, and driver’s license numbers of visitors at the appointment. Most importantly, no one should be allowed to explore your estate unaccompanied.
Check thoroughly afterward
After a showing, have the realtor check that all doors, windows, outdoor areas, safes, and lockboxes have been re-secured. They should make sure that all lights, faucets, and appliances that visitors might have tested out have been turned off to avoid additional utility costs or property damage from fire or flood.
Selling your home is stressful enough without worrying about security vulnerabilities. However, protecting your Los Angeles property while it’s on the market is easy with these simple steps and a little help from ACS Security.