Strangers in My House!!

After getting a call today for someone wanting to see a house, who only wanted to give me a first name, and no other information; then I asked if she was prequalified and she didn't want to answer that question either, I decided the public needs to know a few things.

Imagine you have a nice home that you are putting on the market.  It will house you and your family throughout the time it is on the market.  It will have all your furniture, treasures, clothes, family pictures, silverware and china, etc., in the home while it is on the market.  There are bad guys out in the world, people who would love to see what is inside a nice home and get a layout of the house in order to rob the house. 

Now suppose a complete stranger calls your realtor asking to see your house and all your realtor is able to get is a person's first name.  Would you want that stranger in your home?  Of course, not.  So when you call a realtor to see a home or get more information, don't expect them to celebrate the call and rush out to show the house if you aren't willing to give more information than a first name.  Be prepared to give your full name, email address and phone number.  Be prepared to tell whether you have taken the steps to get pre-qualified for a loan.  This tells the realtor you are serious, you are a buyer, that you will follow through on a sale once you find the perfect home.  It will also let the homeowner know that buyers are coming through their home, NOT BAD GUYS.    Realtors put their lives on the line when they take complete strangers out to see homes.  So don't get huffy with the realtor and refuse to give any information.  In the future, I will be more discerning.  I won't be a "pop tart" relator who is ready to jump up, run out and show houses to total strangers.  I'm going to know something about the person before I go show a house. 

Secondly, in Texas when I meet with someone for the first time, I am required to give them an Information About Brokerage Services.  I have to get them to sign saying I gave them the information.  This lady I showed today acted like I was getting a signed contract for the purchase of the property when I asked her to sign.  It took the whole houselooking trip before she finally put her name on the paper and tore it apart so I could keep her signature and she could keep the information.

Don't be afraid that the realtor will sell your name and address, they don't.  Don't be afraid they might send you other properties to consider.  That is their job, and if you don't want them, don't open the email, put it in spam or delete.  But don't think you are doing them a favor asking to see a house.  It takes time, gas, and unless you buy, it's a waste of time.  Why would they go out and waste the time for a perfect stranger.  In the hopes of making a sale, is why.  But they deserve respect from the buyer and they need information, and their sellers deserve it too. 

Thirdly, when you go to an open house, the sellers again are opening up their prized possessions for complete strangers to go through and brouse and look.  Don't be offended when the realtor asks for your name and some other information.  They need to show the sellers that real people with real addresses, phone numbers and emails came through the house; and should something come up missing, they have a list of people who might be responsible.  If you are guilty and not planning a robbery, you have nothing to worry about.  I'd think only the guilty would want to keep their names private.  Go to open houses knowing you will be asked to sign in!!  If you had your house on the market, you'd want the same courtesy.