While holding an open-house day helps sell your house, ADT warns residents that this increases the chance of being robbed.
Clive Humphrey, managing director of ADT Central, provides ways to help keep your house safe from theft during such days.
– Lock all your valuables away.
– Post a guard on the premises and give the estate agent access to a panic button.
– If someone stands in for your agent on the show day, insist on meeting them and explaining details about your home.
– Alert your private security service provider that your home will be on show and ask them to stop by during the afternoon.
– Do not leave spare house keys within reach of visitors.
– Always lock away small valuables that could fit into a handbag or pocket. Ensure that drawers and cabinets do not contain valuables.
– Make a note of visitors’ vehicle registration numbers, make and model of the car.
– Avoid a situation where a visitor wanders off unsupervised.
– Do not leave the front entrance of the home open.
– Consider a show day where you encourage “by appointment” viewings.
– If visitors arrive while you are talking to someone, encourage them to fill in the visitor’s book or look at the outdoor facilities to buy some time.
Humphrey suggests that the best precaution is to ask a second person to assist on show day to provide more security.
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