Lock Box- Yes or No?

This is a touchy subject for most first time home sellers, but like anything in life, one must prioritize and stick to one´s decision even if you have to accommodate other people´s schedules.

A lock Box is attached to the front door or main entry door to a property that is up for sale. To open the box one must have a key or know the combination and be member of the local Sarasota MLS or Realtor associated.  Inside the lockbox is the key to the house. To days lock boxes in Sarasota, have a microchip that records dates, times and the person that gained access to the key.

Realtors prefer to sell houses that have a lockbox since it provides easy access to show the house at a moments notice in Sarasota. Certain agents even refuse to sell a house that does not have this feature.

The question comes then3; Should you have one? Obviously, this is a personal issue. Security is in every home seller´s mind as well as privacy.  But you want to give to your Real Estate agent the convenience of showing the house unannounced, preferably when you an your family are not there.  Remember, to open the lockbox they need to know the combination or have a key and the microchip will record the activity.

Picture for a second what the options are if you decide against it. The Sarasota Realtor will have to make an appointment with you or you would have to be at home. The second option is to give your Realtor a key.  Lets explore both options; the first one, you have to be at home and that may hinder on the possible buyer´s level of comfort and ability to get emotionally attached to it.  The second option, if your Realtor is unavailable no one can see the house.

When one is ready to sell, one wants to sell fast. The buzz created the first time a house is in the market should not be wasted, since it is not easily duplicated.