Thinking of selling? Is the security of your property worth fifty bucks to your agent?

Is protecting the security of my clients worth the extra expense of an electronic lockbox? In my book, of course it is but there are still many agents in town that almost exclusively utilize the push button or combo lockboxes.

Think about this scenario: when an agent calls to make an appointment and the house has a combination lockbox, where do you think the agent will write down the code? They write it on the agent printout of the house of course. How hard do you think it would be for an unscrupulous ‘buyer’ to peer over the shoulder of the agent to see what the code is? Not too difficult. I once saw an MLS property printout tossed into a gas station garbage can WITH the code scribbled right on top.

One of the push-button styles has 10 buttons on it, 1-9 and 0. An odd fact about that particular lockbox is that it doesn’t matter which order you punch in your numbers, it’s a simple depressed button mechanism that releases the lock. If your code is 4231; the box could be opened with 1234, 1243, etc. It reminds me of a funny story. Several years ago, I had an appointment to see a house and was not notified that it had a coded box on it. Here we are on the porch, it was cold out, after office hours, and the agent didn’t answer her phone. I left a message for ‘Minnie’ that I needed the code to get into her listing.

She didn’t call back right away so I decided to try to figure out the code myself. (Now I try guessing these codes as a warped ‘hobby’) I tried the address of the house, that didn’t work. I looked at her companies sign and the last four digits of the phone number were 9512. I tried that and the box opened. I remember thinking to myself that was a pretty big security risk but we went on in (the house was vacant).

She did return my call as we were standing in the living room and I told her thanks anyway, we were already in the house, I got the code on my second guess. There was a long silence on the other end of the line until finally she timidly asked “How did you know I was born in 1952?” I laughed and told her it was a somewhat superhero-like ability I tapped into once in awhile when agents didn’t answer their phones. She then said something like: “You scare me” and hung up! I still laugh to this day about what she must have thought.

Same scenario a couple years later, on another porch except this house had a dial type lockbox on it needing three letters to open it. He didn’t answer his phone either but this time I got it on my first guess. I won’t say how because it truly is so ridiculously simple (and moronically stupid of that agent) it shouldn’t be put on a public blog. That agent also called me when I was in the house already and felt pretty stupid when I told him how I figured it out. Oh, also, if you use these particular lockboxes, please learn how to change the code from the default. I’ll bet half of these that are in use have the same three letter code. Really, that’s like keeping the photos that come with the wallet…

To be fair, there are a number of good agents who utilize these types of lockboxes strictly for their bank repo properties so the direct safety and security of a homeowner and their belongings are not at risk. They use these so that repairmen can have access as well as their client’s representatives can periodically gain access to the house. But I still believe that even vacant houses have valuable stuff inside that some ‘less than savory’ characters may want to take. We had a case a couple years ago of a woman who moved herself and kids into the basement of a spec home and stayed for a couple weeks! Yikes!

Conversely, the electronic eKey lockboxes that are available are about as secure as can be. The listing agent gets notified when it’s opened via the internet, sometimes mere minutes after the box is opened, and access is denied from 10PM to 6AM. (Sorry to my sellers but no, I can’t come and let you in your house if you’ve locked yourself out after a night out on the town anymore…)

To read another humorous story of a coded lock box ordeal, check out the “Phoenix Real Estate Guy”. Funny stuff!

I would certainly be in favor of mandatory electronic lockboxes but I don’t believe that will ever happen. At the very least, we agents would like something on our ‘agent print outs’ at least indicating that there is a code needed for entry. Please don’t input the showing instructions as simply: ‘vacant, show anytime’ with no mention of a coded box!

Oh, and one other thing: For you agents that are writing the code on your MLS printout, at least transpose a few digits that you alone will know… oh, and don’t throw it away at the gas station!
Bottom line: If you are thinking about listing your property for sale, whether occupied or vacant, don’t you owe it to yourself to use an agent who thinks enough of the security of your property to spend the extra fifty bucks on a proper lockbox?

Bill Swanson is an agent with over 20 years experience with CBSHome Real Estate, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway. For a no-obligation market analysis of your home, even a quick and easy online evaluation, along with other aspects of Bill’s marketing plan, call or email Bill today!