Sellers: 1) be sure to check on your homes that are for sale even if you aren’t occupying them – particularly if you live local to the property for sale. 2) NEVER allow a lock box to not be secured to the property – meaning don’t let it sit out without being attached to a lock that attaches to a post or a solid (not lever style) door handle. Here’s what can happen if you aren’t diligent:
Warning ~ Burglaries in Staged North Seattle Homes
Burglaries have been reported in the Greenwood and Ballard areas in North Seattle. The burglaries have involved vacant, staged homes and thousands of dollars’ worth of furnishings have been stolen. In Ballard, the thieves used a U-Haul truck and neighbors assumed they were a staging company or contractors taking care of the home. Please follow these tips to help stop break-ins:
Make sure to attach your keybox to a secure, well-lit location
Routinely check on your listed properties
Register your keyboxes with Supra/NWMLS
Immediately report any strange occurrences to the local police
When we had someone take off a door handle to get one of our lock boxes (one of our team was at the site checking in it) we made a full police report and had our client immediately change all doorlocks/handles. We were lucky we found it before the box had been broken into and anyone had returned to take all the new appliances in the refurbished house. BE SAFE!
