Coweta Fayette Real Estate & Newnan Homes for sale blog by Richard Weisser of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers

I cant believe you would get a call with them in the home?!?!  If they are looking in the windows I think that has been going on forever...cover up when coming out of the shower if your selling your home!!

Wow thats interesting . Luckily I have not had that happen to me.

I practice the same procedure on all of my homes. Furthermore, I make sure they are fully qualified before viewing.

I would like to think the "peepers" are just uninformed, rookies but I have seen many who know the process but still see nothing wrong with it!

Chuck...

If they see that the house is vacant after looking in the windows, they think that it is OK to go in by any means necessary. We have a lot of foreclosures in the area but I have several listings that are vacant and NOT bank-owned. Thanks.

Michael...

It happens a LOT around here! Thanks so much.

Harry...

Which is why they need to call first. We promise our sellers that we will prequalify all lookers. Thanks.

Gary...

Yep, the more experienced they are, the more they feel that they have the "right" to enter the property. Thanks.

It's amazing the things people seem to think they "have a right to" these days. In all manner of sales especially.  It's as if once something is for sale (in a store, a house, a flea market, etc) they feel as though it no longer belongs to the person who is selling it and that they can do anything they want with it.

Good morning Richard,

Indeed this problem is pretty rampant in our neck of the woods, and agents who give out codes only exacerbate the situation.  So we are constantly educating the buying public.  Best of success to you this year!

Richard...I have seen the look of shock on a buyers face when they hear me say "I will need some notice to get you in that listing"...I think they assume everything for sale is vacant too.

Richard.... that's absurd....I can't believe people have done that to you....we've never experienced that....not do want to.... absurd.

Richard, People who look into windows, thinking a house may be vacant, never know who may be looking back! 

Part of it is perpetrated by other real estate agents. The number of times that I have been told "I am given the code to houses all the time! I am looking to buy not steal anything."

Especially when investors are looking in the foreclosure market. I have people call and ask is this code "**** or ****? I have been given this one **** but not very often. Which is it?"  Their 'agents' are too lazy to run around with them and they just let them look on their own.

Wow! that's not cool. I haven't experienced someone entering the home or at least not yet. Maybe the looking in the windows; I wouldn't know about that. I do tell sellers that it makes their house more vulnerable and to be alert. I have heard of people knocking on the doors wanting to see and some sellers will let them in - that's risky enough if you ask me.

Wow.  That wouldn't go oever very well here.  Lots of hunting rifles around and while peoople are friendly here, they certainly do not appreciate people peering around in their neighbors windows.

I dropped a prominent doctor as an investor because of this very thing. He would "get into" the foreclosure and then call me to write the contract.

When a buyer tells you they don't need to see the house prior to offer this is code for "I broke into the home".

Richard: So, What do you attribute that attitude to? I think it's the easy access to information---easy and quick ways to get to the addresses of most properties that are for sale now. Even though it is written all over a listing that an agent has the listing and needs to attend--many are lazy and let the buyer go with out them attending. This infuriates me because we all suffer from this cavalier attitude about listings!

I have had lookers look into windows when my sellers were having a family dinner.  Some people have no idea!

Richard,  I had my buyers ask if they could go by the house they have a contract on to see what the back fence looks like.  they asked me if it was okay.  That is what they are suppose to do.... ASK.  So, I called the sellers and they said it was okay. Eveyone is happy and there's no surprises that someone is in your back yard looking around.

Hmmm, you might want to watch out for the really large German Shepherd Dog coming around the corner! That might cure a couple of the looky-loos...

There are so many people who are either oblivious to the rules or just don't feel as if they apply to them.

Jaw dropper for me one day was driving past one of my listings and I see some people fiddling with the lock box. Didn't recognize either of them as an Agent in our area so I stopped. Turns out the Agent they'd been working with didn't feel like driving to come meet them so she just gave them the code to the lockbox from my listing info in the local MLS. Lesson learned. From now on, "please call for code" solves that problem. I couldn't believe she did that...

Some people are unbelievably bold!

People are just really dense sometimes.  I had a client who went to the bulding himself and asked the super to let him in and look at the commercial space.  He calls me right after he has seen it.  I told him that this is not SOP and cannot be bothering people to let him in!

So it's not just me!  I get sign calls from drive by people are at the home, have looked in the windows, went into the backyard and want me to come let them inside for a peek.  Grrrrrr.....  You're right call first, I'll be glad to come show you around.  But they are trespassing by going in the backyard and being a Ppeeping Tom so to speak.  A home that looks vacant isn't always vacant... they may see more than they want to or have the cops called on them for peeping!  Suggested.

Geez, some people's kids!... I'm thinking of some areas around the Northwest, that wouldn't be very smart. Might be the last house you look at. It's weird that some people think you can just drop in without an appointment. It's somebodies home, not a walk through display at the mall. 

Richard, that's unbelievable that someone would break in to view a home! Who repairs that damage!?! I have found that vacant homes are open to Realtors any time, as we found during a vacant staging recently. We'd be trying to set up rooms and the door would open and a Realtor would bring in people who had to climb around our bins and furniture. You'd think that if they saw all that they'd want to bring them around after we had the house all together. This happened 4 or 5 times while we were working over a few day/evenings. Luckily one of the houses sold a few days after we staged it!

Hi Richard.  Strange people down their in Newnan...

People just go in the house?  Wow.  I would worry about being shot!

Thanks for writing,

Ken

I have seen people do this same thing and find it "strange" that they need an agent to accompany them to a stranger's home. 

Richard, excellent post, suggested.  I can't believe how bold people have gotten.  They truly don't think they are trespassing when a home is up for sale.  I have alot of people tell me they walked around the outside, peeked in windows and some have entered vacant properties that may not have been secured (not my listings).  This could become an even bigger problem with more and more sellers renting out their homes until it sells. 

Hi Richard,

We post "No Trespassing" signs in a window from every entry side on our foreclosure listings.

Sounds like that practice needs to be more widespread!

Phil

Wow! That takes guts! When I read the title, I had no idea that this was the direction you were going. When I first started 9 years ago, my first listing had this issue. But it was a completely different situation and reasoning at that time. I am inspired to write about it today. Thanks for the idea! And good luck in enforcing the rules.

Richard, I agree with you - it's crazy.  I do know there have been a few agents who will give out a contractor's box code becaue they're too lazy to attend with the buyers.  Our MLS is working to correct that and now has a requirement there must be an electronic box along with any bank's combo box.  At least it's a start.

My Morning is now complete. I needed the laugh. As much as I laugh about this, please recall how many assaults have happened to Realtor recently.

I teach all my Sales Associates the proper way to 'joke' and secure yourself in front a client. For example, when you go to a new home that is unoccupied, do a policeman's knock 'bang bang bang' with the side of your fist, Not sexy, but the 'joke' is "i've always wanted to break a door down" ... what you are really doing is warning everyone that someone is about to walk in and get the heck out ...

 

but aside from that... When you do have a trespasser that has come into one of your properties, the first thing you do is advise them that they are trespassing, and find out how they got access. if they refuse, walk to the door, dial 911 and snap a picture of them. FILE THE CHARGES, as a listing agent you are liable, and I would take you to court if a stranger got in without your OK and stole something.

this happens every now and then to us ( we use non-supra's sometimes ) and if we catch a tresspasser, we ask them whom gave them the code, once we have that, we file a complaint with the board and take a photo and the information of the trespasser.

Please everyone, take the security issue seriously.

I actually filed a grievance against a Miami agent, who accessed my listing BECAUSE IT HAD A SUPRA on it.  She scared one of the kids so bad the cops were called.

At the grievance hearing she said the following - "You can do to me what you want - My God will protect me".  My response - Honey even God calls for the lockbox access FIRST!" 

With the paperwork to file that claim, the inconvenience of driving to Miami I could see that many claims go unfiled - RIDICULOUS!  Joy

I can't believe any listing agent would grant access to potential "buyers" without them being accompanied by an AGENT THEY KNOW.  We had a rash of crooks posing as agents on the phone to obtain access, then helping themselves to the seller's personal property.  I always check out the agent to confirm their identity and office before setting up an appointment for them.

Add to that the clients that see a For Sale sign while you are out driving around previewing homes.  "How about that one...can we look at it?"  Uhhhh...no.  First of all, we pulled all the active listings that fit your criteria before we left the office.  Secondly, if it didn't make the first cut - it either isn't active or didn't fit your search criteria!  More than likely, it isn't active.  Just because it has a sign doesn't mean it is an active listing.  And unless you are an investor submitting backup offers, why do you want to see a house with an accepted offer??

My favorite was a listing with a BIG dog.  A very loud, BIG dog that wasn't happy with strange people in her house.  I can't tell you how many agents that would call me because there was no lockbox on the house.  Ah, yup.  So no one would go in the house with the BIG dog unannounced!  The MLS remarks said DOG ALERT.  YOU MUST HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO VIEW.  You wanting in tells me you are chasing signs and didn't read the MLS. 

The agent pulls up in front of the home, calls the owner and states, "I am out front with the people who want to buy your home, we want to come in and look around", REALLY!  Did I mention it was 7:00pm, oh for the want of common courtesy.

There is a realtor here in town who gives people the lock box combo to people if she is too busy to meet them at the house.  Most of her listings are short sales and REO's and obviously empty.  So, when I get a call from someone standing out in front of one of my listings I am often told "but the realtor from the last house we wanted to look at let us go in."  Come on people, don't set a bad example and don't put your license at risk.  Just say NO!

Wow, I can't believe prospective purchasers would actually break into a home to see it.  That's incredible.

After I get their information, I tell them they need an agent to see the property.  If they are "just looking" and don't think they need an agent, I respond with and they tripped an alarm for police response.  "Are the police there yet?  Then the phone usually goes dead.  You don't know who these people are and they could be casing the home for a later theft.  I keep a note of the person, just in case there is a problem at the house in the near future.

And another thing, just because there's a sign in the yard it doesn't give other agents the right to just open the lockbox and go in.  They should always read the showing instructions and comply - if it's appointment only they need to make an appointment!

It hasn't happened to my listings that I know of, although one set of buyers stopped by my listing as an appointment had been set and they told my seller that their agent was sick and couldn't be there.  I had given the agent the lockbox combo and thought for sure she gave it to them, thinking the sellers would be out.

I contacted the agent and she swore she didn't give them the code and she didn't know they were going to stop by and the only reason they came up to the door was because they saw a car in the driveway.  I don't think the agent had canceled the listing, but I might be wrong.  I was ready to report her.

We took the lockbox off one of our listings after we got a contract because we had a funny feeling the agent might have given the buyer the lockbox code.  Problem solved by doing that.  Seller met them to let them in for measuring, so now the buyer knows she can't help herself.

I guess if stuff like this continues we'll have to get new "riders" or signs to post on doors and windows, especially for vacant homes, stating No Trespassing, Police will be Called, Agents Must Accompany all Buyers, etc.  Sad!

Michael Rasch (#31) has a great way of dealing with this problem.

Bravo!!!!!! I can't believe the audacity of some people. So many consumers have copped such a self righteous and indignant attitude of self importance these days. 

Richard:

I am horrified that some one would actually break into a home to see it.  How can buyers be so misguided as to think that an agent would give a buyer the lock box code to see the house without an agent.

Richard,

Sounds like people have no manners anymore. The only solution I know is to put a "call before showing" code in all your SUPRA boxes. So far we have not had that problen here in North Idaho.

Standing in front is ok...love those calls, I'll run over if I can. But INSIDE? yikes.....

Hi Richard, I too use the electronic lockboxes.  I have agent get upset with me because they are too cheap to buy a key, but combos are not secure in my opinion.

This is so true, I am always amazed.  Do people not understand that they are tresspassing?  Clearly not, but I just don't know how that is misunderstood.  I get calls too, asking for the code to get in.  I've even had buyers say, "well, so and so agent gave us the code last time, why can't you?"  That is a big fat bad thing if agents are accomplices in the tresspassing.  I am going to reblog this.  Short, sweet, too the point and oh so true.  -Kasey

Richard... I am wondering if these prospects were so used to looking at foreclosures... which are almost always vacant... that they may have thought your listing was also vacant.

I have heard that some dummie agents in market areas that have a great percentage of foreclosures... actually keep the back door of these homes open... just hoping to get more showings.  Really, really dumb idea.

I can understand peeking in a window if a house is obviously vacant - but breaking in? That takes a whole lot of gall.

You are right. Happens all the time. Can't tell you how many calls I have had from sellers asking me to come right over and get rid of the people they let into their home.

How are they getting in the house if it is vacant and they don't have an agent.  Oh never mind I know the answer they either break in or some foolish agent leaves the door unlocked.

I recently received a call from a buyer standing inside a vacant listing.....He found a window unlocked and wanted to know if I needed it locked before he left.   Needless to say, I went to the home to make sure it was locked up tight.

Well it could be worse - They could ask you to show them the house as they do not want to bother their agent.

Great point, Richard!  I have clients that will drive by the houses I send them first to see if they like the area, curb appeal, etc.  When they know it's vacant, they can't seem to help themselves.

Unbelievable topic, yet not sure it happens often.

I have this happen all the time in my rentals, I generally tell them to "just wait there and the police will be there in a few minutes, the neighbors called them as soon as they saw you peeking in the windows"

It always shocks me, when a client says they like the inside of a home before we go to see it and I ask how they saw it and they tell me they walked around and peeked in the windows. I know it's exciting when you think you find the right home, but you can usually get in pretty fast with the help of an real estate agent.

As some have noted, it isn't only VACANT homes that prospects wander around! Some assume (incorrectly) that every For Sale sign indicates a vacancy, but not every home that has open window treatments indicates "come & look inside"!!! Thanks for sharing, Richard.

In this area, entering someone's property without the proper authority and accompanied by an agent is called something ranging from "breaking and entering" to "tresspassing."  Either way, we are instructing agents to tell their clients to call the police if people show up and try to enter without an appointment or their agent.  I fail to understand how this perspective eludes some buyers!