We clean and reorganize our homes when it comes time for open day to showcase it in its best light and hope that we meet our home's future homeowners via that day. However, often times we neglect the whole security aspect of it. Not to mention, only a measly 2% of homes get sold through an open house - a statistic that would be even lower if not for the help of every property management company.
Further, the lack of transparency of the people entering your home can lead it susceptible to thievery, so it's crucial to think about the security aspect of it all. It doesn't matter whether you have the best home security system, it is important to be vigilant.
Stolen goods and possessions
Reports have found that not only do valuables go missing, children's toys and souvenirs are prone to being stolen as well. However, jewelry is the number one target. In 2016, a realtor accidentally let in a pair of thieves who made off with $150,000 worth of jewels. The house they stole from is reportedly worth $1.6 million. Learning his lesson, the homeowner of that particular incident said that he will never do another open house and all viewings will be via appointments only.
There are plenty of these professional robbers who disguise themselves as prospective buyers when in fact they have sinister plans of robbing you blind. Even if you try to hide your valuables, they know where to search so the best thing to do is go the safe route and vet every one who wants to view your property or move your valuables off the property.
Make full use of your security cameras
If there's one that's malfunctioning, you want to make sure it gets serviced. However, do bear in mind that sometimes the picture quality of such cameras are questionable and you won't be able to get a clear view of the pepetuator's face even if you do get him on camera. So, aside from making sure they are all in order, you should test them out by getting a friend or family member to try and hide their faces as they walk past or do it at night to test the picture quality. You can use dummy sets in plain view and the real cctvs hidden behind plants and the like so you catch them unawares.
Only one way in or out
One of the best ways to assure your property stays secure is that you keep all other doors and windows locked so thieves cannot just make off with your possessions. However, this means you also need to keep a close eye on who brought what - a thief dressed as a prospective buyer had the audacity to sling the homeowner's camera around his neck and pretended he came with it. You need to stay extremely vigilant but in this age of digital media, why not do a VR tour instead? You won't need to break your back organizing and cleaning, with the added bonus or not needing to care about whether someone is thieving under your nose.
