Home safety may not be at the forefront of your mind when you’re selling your home, but it really should be. In the rush to sell, many homeowners neglect safety and security when their homes are on the market. I’ve viewed a number of homes for sale where in the rush to get their homes listed, sellers compromised their own safety. My own home was broken into while it was on the market several years ago, and we had to then take it off the market while cleanup and repairs were made. It was a horrible situation that could have been avoided.
Here are 7 home simple home safety tips sellers should follow before putting a home on the market:
- Put away anything personal that can identify you or your family members. This includes photos, mail and professional degrees. Not only can having these items on display compromise your safety, they prevent potential buyers from imagining themselves living in the home. You need to live differently in your home than you normally do when it’s on the market.
- Clear off the kitchen counters, especially dangerous items such a knife blocks. Take carving knives and scissors out of kitchen drawers too, and put them somewhere less accessible. Your kitchen will look better and be far safer with clear counters.
- If, by some chance, you still have a landline phone…
