Are you selling a vacant house? There are certain things that you need to take care of first when selling a vacant house to ensure that your property remains intact and safe. There are several cases that have been reported of vacant houses being broken into and vandalized. When this happens, the property value goes down and a homeowner is forced to spend money on repairs. The following tips will help you sell your vacant house safely and to avoid losses.
Alert Law Enforcement
If you are selling a house from long distance, it is best to alert the local authorities about your vacant house. You can also look for a security patrol company near your property and ask them to check your property when making patrol calls. Robbers can easily tell when a vacant house is not being secured and they can take advantage by breaking into your home and steal expensive installations. When police make random checks to your house, this reduces the chances of your house being vandalized.
Alert Your Neighbors
Alerting the local authorities is one way to make sure that your vacant house remains safe as you look for a buyer. However, the local authorities only make random visits to your home which means that there are times your house is prone to vandalism. It is recommended that you notify your immediate neighbors that you are planning to sell your home and that it is vacant at the moment. You can ask them to keep an eye on your property and report any suspicious activities. If your neighborhood has a watch group, you also need to notify them about your vacant house so that they can keep an eye on it.
Alert Your Real Estate Agent
The best way to sell a house fast is by hiring an experienced real estate agent to find a buyer. You can ask your real estate agent to ensure the safety of your vacant house as they look for buyers. A good real estate agent will ensure there is added security to prevent vandalism and make sure that the house stays intact. You need to work together with your real estate agent to ensure that the house is safe by investing in home security devices like alarms.
Stage To Reflect An Occupied Home
Before selling your house, you are required to take photos of the interior and the exterior of the house for listing purposes. It is unfortunate that not everyone going through house listings has the intention of buying a house. Some criminals go through house listings to identify vacant houses so that they can steal. To avoid exposing your home to criminals, take photos of your home while still occupied to give an impression that the house is still occupied. Look for tips on how professionally stage your house to ensure quality photos.
Retrieve Newspapers And Mail Regularly
Criminals can easily tell a home is not occupied by the amount of uncollected mail at the entrance. You can request your neighbors or your real estate agent to retrieve mail and newspapers regularly to avoid them piling up. This gives the impression that your home has constant supervision hence keeping burglars away.
