Thursday, 23rd of July 2009 at 12:37:24 PMThe last time I posted on this topic, it was really in response to other agents talking about the recent robberies in the Southeast valley. This time, I’m going to direct my answer to the Seller, some of the reasoning and logic that I use in response to questions about the lock box.
I only allow one of two options here, use the Blue ARMLS lock box or don’t use one. Most of my clients will elect to use the lock box that I provide. These little units are pretty expensive, but the value that they add overshadows the cost. It allows agents to show the property on a timetable that works for their buyer and themselves. We all know from experience, the more people that are coordinating a time and place, the hard it is. The blue box allows us to eliminate a couple of people from the equation, namely the listing agent and the seller.
They are also pretty durable, making it hard to get the key out. The blue box will protect your key better than hiding it under a mat or in a combo box.
One of my favorite parts is the digital logging of the agent using the blue box. Any agent that uses the blue box is recorded in a database and in the blue box itself. I can check to see which agents have shown the property, when that occurred and follow up with that agent to answer questions and ask for feedback. The database also allows me to provide reports to the sellers how often the property is showing and how many second showings have occurred.
The last thing we want to do when selling your home is create barriers to showing. I often laugh at the showing instructions that read like a manual, call to get a security code, provide 24 hour notice to have pets secure, must have LSR when scheduling a showing appointment and wear booties when showing the home. When it’s too much trouble to see the home, agents and their buyers will just pass. The blue box has been a evolving solution to making it easy to show homes.
The other option is to not have a blue box which works if you are always home and available. In all the time that I’ve been an agent, I’ve only accepted this option once and was successful, out of the 82 showings that occurred in the 60 days it was listed, only twice did I cancel a showing. Once because the seller was sick and once because she was celebrating her birthday (both very good reasons to cancel), but you know what, neither agent ever rescheduled the showing. So I’m cautious with this option.
So now you know why I work the way I do, that I am a fan and avid use of the blue box and hopefully now you will as well.
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