Safety Tips for Home Sellers to Consider Before the First Showing

Firearms, knives - including blocks in the kitchen - and other weapons need to be removed from sight and locked away for your safety as well as the safety of those who are showing your home. 

Family photos and anything labeled with names should be removed. This should go without saying but some people take offense to being asked to remove these items. First and foremost, for the safety of your children you need to do this. Again, there are many people coming into your home. With access to viewing family photos, calendars of events, addresses and names of your children often personalized on name plates, blankets and artwork, individuals will have all the information they need regarding your family. 

Bills, invoices, credit card statements, and anything with your social security number or other identifying information should be removed from view. Identity theft is rampant, do not become the next victim. 

Jewelry and other valuables should be placed in a safe deposit box or out of sight. Many homes I have been in have large free standing jewelry boxes and items on dressers and bathroom counters, including cash. Had I not been who I say I am; an honest, reputable Home Stager, I could have easily walked out with these things and never to be heard from again. I remind my clients how important it is to treat their open house as an open door to complete strangers and take the proper precautions to make their Selling House process as simple, pleasant and stress free as possible. 

Remove prescription medications from medicine cabinets and bedside tables. Place in zip lock bags in another area besides the usual. 

Again this list is not to make clients uncomfortable with the Selling House process it is quite the opposite. By preparing your home and taking the necessary precautions you make the process more uneventful and stress free. There are so many things to consider while Selling House that these items can easily get overlooked.  We tend to think of our homes as a safe zone, which they should be, however, while Selling House and showing it becomes a different story and the safety and security of our homeowners and Realtors is a huge priority. By taking simple measures you can achieve a safe and successful result.