One of the most valuable elements of a successful home sale is a well-staged open house, but sellers put themselves in a vulnerable position when they list a house.  Thefts can occur if valuable possessions are left in the open, bottles of wine left in an unsecured rack, opioids in the medicine cabinet, or expensive jewelry in a dresser drawer.

The goal of this article is not to make sellers paranoid about selling their home nor to dissuade them from doing the proactive marketing needed to sell a home, like publishing photos online and having private showings and open houses. Most people are honest and visiting properties looking for their next place to call home. Below are some food-for-thought ideas on proactive ways to protect sellers and their personal property from those who are not well-intentioned. Removing the temptation in advance can save the headaches later on when something is damaged or goes missing.

So what happens if something is damaged or stolen during a showing or open house?  And how can you prevent that from happening?

Thieves can look at the pictures that accompany an online listing like a shopping catalog.  So how can you and your agent prepare ahead of time to keep art, jewelry, and other valuables safe?  At an open house, potential buyers expect to look inside a home’s closets and explore the space. This is to be expected, so it is good to prepare in advance.

For starters, every seller should remove valuables, medications, and firearms from the home before opening it to the public.  Spend the 15 or 20 minutes before the agent arrives scanning for pieces that need to be secured. Better yet, move valuables to off-site storage during the listing period.

Most listing agents use electronic lockboxes, which allow other agents to enter the home with the help of their smartphones.  Those systems record the date and time of entry, as well as the identity of the agent opening the lockbox.  That way, if there’s an issue, it is easier to track down who was in the home at the time.

Interior cameras also allow sellers to keep an eye on things and can act as a deterrent.  Despite precautions, there is always the possibility of human error, so many agents use a checklist to be sure that all doors and windows are locked before leaving. 

In the event of an insurance claim due to loss or damage, the seller’s homeowner’s policy with personal-contents coverage, or valuable-articles policy will pay the claim.  The insurance company also may seek reimbursement from a party responsible for the damage or loss, such as the real-estate agent.

Avoid publishing photos in listing materials or online that include valuable art or collectables. Ideally, these will be removed before listing the property. But if you are sellers living in the house and not storing valuables off-site, it is a good idea to create an inventory of valuables and where they are located in the home to quickly identify whether an item is missing after a showing.

Don’t forget about the wine.  Be sure the cellar is locked or move bottles off-site to a temperature- and humidity-controlled facility.

Remember, in most cases personal property is not being sold with the house, so buyers do not need to see all your possessions to make a decision about if they want to live in the home with their possessions. Storing valuables off-site or starting to pack things that are not used, everything in a garage or in storage can keep buyers (or potential thieves) separate from temptation, and sellers can focus on selling their home and starting their next real estate chapter.