• Nominate a local contact. If you cannot visit your vacant home regularly, entrust the responsibility of checking both the inside and outside of the property from time to time to someone you trust. You may pay them for such service. You may also find companies doing this. They can offer a host of services connected to safeguarding as well as maintaining the vacant home as per your choice. • Remove and lock up prescription drugs. Real estate agents report prescription drugs are on top of the list of items stolen by the people visiting the property during open houses. Remove or lock them up. • Secure your valuables. Ensure you have removed all valuables and stored them safely including jewels, art pieces, cell phones, and gaming consoles. It is also important these items are not photographed while taking the photos for online or brochure advertising. • Remove the pictures of your family. In the safety interests of your family, it is advisable you remove family pictures from the walls and other places and secure them. This is essential from the staging point of view of appealing to the buyers as well as protecting the interests of your family members. • Leave the house Safe for the visitors. Before showings to the prospective clients, turn on the lights to give a better appeal as well as to ensure the safety of the agents and buyers. Only when all the rooms have adequate lighting, can the buyers and agents move comfortably inside. Repair or remove loose carpets and floorboards. Do not 61
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