Imagine saying this to your prospective seller when
you are on a listing appointment...
"Mr/Mrs Seller, I can understand you may
have some concerns about having a lockbox on your home, but when you
list with me I will give you something that will give
you control over the use of that lockbox,
and you will have a greater feeling of privacy, security and
safety!" (Do you know a seller who doesn't
care about Privacy? Security? Safety?)
And
now you can do it!
Now you can demonstrate to your seller that you
do understand the
stress they are going through, and offer them a system
that will give them an easy and effective way to control how and
when the lockbox is used.
The L.I.F.E. (Lockbox Intervention Forbids Entry) Sentinel System™ provides greater
flexibility and ease of use than the options built into
some of the newer electronic lockboxes. It is so simple
and easy to use a latchkey kid can do it. Think about
that...when the kids come home from school and mom and dad aren't
home from work yet, just have them pop on the "We're Home - Please
Don't Use the Key" message. And it's an inexpensive way to tell your
sellers you care!
The "System" provides a set of three double-sided
laminated access control cards that the seller can snap on an off
the shackle of the lockbox as needed. The messages
include:
We're
Home - Please Don't Use the Key
Our
Pet May Be Loose - Please Don't Use the KeyWithout
an Appointment
No
Showings Today - We're Sorry for the Inconvenience
- Please Don't Use the Key
No
Showings - This Home Has Sold - Please Don't Use
the Key Without Permission
Our Security
System is Armed - Please Read Instructions
Carefully Before Using Key
Day
Sleeper - Please Don't Use the Key Without an
Appointment
The "System" also provides the seller with a
pocket they can hang on the door they use most often (usually
between the kitchen and the garage) to remind them to remove
an access control card if they are leaving home, or for
another reason it is no longer needed. The access control
cards can be stored in the Reminder Pocket when not in use.
The reverse side of the pocket gives the seller full
instructions on how to make the best use of the L.I.F.E.
(Lockbox Intervention Forbids Entry) Sentinel System™
L.I.F.E. Sentinel
System™ provides top-notch additional
security and privacy for residents of homes offered for sale
when using a lockbox (also known as e-boxes, i-boxes
and key boxes)
ØLockboxes enable real estate agents to show a home
without the need for the seller to be present
ØLockboxes can record who used the box, and when, in
case you need to find out who was there
ØLockboxes made today are about as impossible to be
broken into as our technology can provide
In
spite of that...
The Unexpected
Entries revealed here are said to have really
occurred! (Some details have been altered to protect those involved.
They’ve been through enough already!)
The incidents have not been verified but
we think you’ll agree, even if they are “urban legend”, they
could have happened, and they could happen again!
Unexpected Entries
A real estate
agent had permission to show a home, using a key. He rang the
doorbell, and when there was no response, he opened the door with
the key. Noticing the sound of a vacuum cleaner, he asked his buyers
to wait in the entry until he let the seller know they were there so
she wasn’t startled. He found the seller vacuuming in a bedroom,
wearing…well, less than one would when welcoming someone to your
home.
Needless
to say, both the seller and the agent were
startled!
Unexpected Entry
#2
A tenant was a
resident in a property that was being sold. The tenant was
cooperative about showings, except an appointment was required. One
day the tenant came home from work early with a serious migraine
headache, took some medication to relieve the pain, disrobed, and
collapsed across the bed, falling soundly
asleep.
A real estate
agent either didn’t notice or ignored the requirement of an
appointment. She called on her cell phone from in front of the
property…no answer. She rang the doorbell…no answer. Turning to her
clients she said that apparently no one was home. It should be all
right for them to go inside.
The
tenant groggily opened her eyes to see the agent and her buyer
standing over her at the bed!
Unexpected Entry
#3
The sellers were
confident that their large dog would not be a problem when the home
was shown. They had a cage available to put it in whenever a showing
was scheduled.
The real estate
agent neglected to see the remark about the need to cage the dog.
She called and left a message on the recorder that she would be
showing the home, and when. She then proceeded to include it on the
buyer’s tour.
The agent
retrieved the key from the lockbox, but didn’t ring the doorbell
before unlocking the door. When the door was opened, the dog heard
the intruders and came running around the corner,
barking.
At that time the dog seemed like a very
large dog.
ØDo incidents
like this happen often when sellers permit a lockbox to be
installed?
ØNo, these are
NOT common occurrences…but they can happen. Don’t take the chance
that it, or something like it, might cause you, your seller, or the
buyer discomfort or embarrassment.
If you
are a real estate agent
considering offering a seller the use of a lockbox,
and
üare concerned about the resident's safety and
privacy,
übelieve those issues even fall remotely in a real
estate agent’s “standard of care”,
üthink taking every precaution you can just makes
good common sense…
Then you
need to get a L.I.F.E. Sentinel
System™ for each one
of your listings – today! .
The
Lockbox Intervention Forbids Entry Sentinel System™ will go a long way
toward helping your sellers get their LIFE
back.
With this L.I.F.E.Sentinel
System™, they will be able to feel a greater sense of
privacy when they are home—and still provide Realtors®
the ability to use a key from the lockbox to show your sellers’ home
when they are away.
