How do YOU feel about the subject? CLICK HERE TO TAKE 3 QUESTION SURVEY
Well, if you’ve been a client of mine – you know that I SUPPORT the use of Electronic Lockboxes…and you know the many reasons why.
1) Accountability as to who / when someone has been to your house and used the lockbox (this is the best tool for Sellers who are otherwise unsure that an Agent showed up for their showing…see Reason #2) as the lockbox automatically logs the activity from the designated user when they access the key through the box.
2) The REPORTING feature is also great, whether you choose to get just an email or also want to receive a text message – the ACTIVITY is instantly reported to Listing Agent / Home Owner (Seller) and there is NO MORE GUESSING if someone showed up.
3) No body wants to really “dwell” on the security aspect – but I believe as a SELLER (and honestly, ME as your REALTOR) want to know that the home is SECURED and no UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY is taking place. {The argument against this is, “we haven’t had an issue yet” or “if someone wants to break in – there are other ways besides the lockbox.”} BUT I’m here to say that is NOT DUE DILIGENCE TALKING! Personally, I know that there are many ways for people to get into a home – but I don’t want to provide one of the easiest ways to gain access UNKNOWN to others until long after the fact.
The current lockbox system is BROKEN – and that was proven to me when my younger son and I found a lockbox in a parking lot of a store…I had him pick it up and we chatted about how we could get into the box without knowing the number. I told him just to try some random combinations and if he got it, I would pay him $20. Needless to say – in less than 5 minutes he had opened the box. From that moment on – I looked at our lockboxes differently.
It is TIME TO CHANGE OUR LOCKBOX SYSTEM – we OWE this to our CLIENTS who entrust us with their HOMES. I cannot be the only agent in our area in SUPPORT of this?! But I assure you – I am the agent who is taking the matter seriously enough to bring this out to the public audience who should have as much decision in the matter as “our clients / potential clients” than those Realtors who are content to keep things AS THEY ARE and to KEEP COST DOWN. (Honestly, if you are thinking of listing your home any time in the near future – I’d like to recommend this as one of the TOP QUESTIONS to ask your prospective Realtor.)
If you are like me, having someone say that the added cost of $15 / a month to do business is NOT something I would support – then it is time to TELL THEM TO GET OUT OF THE BUSINESS! The cost of running my Real Estate Business is something I manage but NOT something that dictates the support of a technology that is long overdue in our market. Obviously, I have strong feelings on the matter, so if you’d like to have a conversation about this – feel free to contact me. If you are thinking of SELLING YOUR HOUSE SOON – and want someone dedicated to protecting your asset, let’s get together and talk about this and the other reasons YOU SHOULD HIRE ME AS YOUR REALTOR.