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12 Tips to Keep Valuables Safe When Selling Your Home

Jonathan Minerick
  • Updated

When selling your home, it's essential to secure your valuables to prevent theft or loss during showings and open houses. While most buyers and agents are trustworthy, it’s best to err on the side of caution. Here are some tips to keep your valuables safe:

1. Remove Valuable Items from the Home

  • Take Them Elsewhere: Store high-value items like jewelry, collectibles, or important documents at a trusted friend’s or family member’s house.
  • Use a Safe Deposit Box: Store irreplaceable items such as heirlooms, cash, or sensitive documents in a bank’s safe deposit box.

2. Invest in a Secure Safe

  • Small Safe: Use a lockable, fireproof, and bolted-down safe to secure small but valuable items (e.g., passports, jewelry, or electronics).
  • Discreet Placement: Keep the safe in an out-of-sight location such as a closet or basement, rather than an obvious spot like a master bedroom.

3. Hide Valuables in Unexpected Places

Avoid storing valuables in predictable areas such as:

  • Bedroom drawers.
  • Under mattresses.
  • Jewelry boxes.

Instead, hide them in inconspicuous locations, such as:

  • Inside hollowed-out books.
  • In labeled storage boxes in the attic or garage.
  • Within inconspicuous household items like a pantry jar or unused appliance.

4. Secure Electronics and Devices

  • Laptops and Tablets: Lock them in a cabinet or safe.
  • Hard Drives and USBs: Store these in a hidden or locked location, especially if they contain sensitive information.

5. Lock Away Personal and Financial Documents

  • Protect Documents: Secure items such as:
    • Passports, Social Security cards, and birth certificates.
    • Banking statements, tax documents, and legal papers.
  • Use a Filing Cabinet: Lock important papers in a filing cabinet or safe.

6. Remove or Secure Medication

  • Remove Prescription Medications: Take prescription drugs, especially those of high value or potential misuse, out of the home during showings.
  • Lockable Medicine Cabinet: If removing isn’t an option, store them in a lockable cabinet.

7. Take Smaller Valuables with You

Carry portable valuables, such as:

  • Jewelry and watches.
  • Keys and wallets.
  • Small electronics.

8. Monitor with Technology

  • Security Cameras: Install visible security cameras to deter theft. Doorbell cameras can also track who enters and exits your home. Be sure to check any state privacy laws prior to implementing recording systems.
  • Alarm Systems: Activate your home’s alarm system during showings if possible.

9. Minimize Personal Exposure

  • Limit Personal Items: Remove photos, diplomas, or anything that reveals your identity or personal details.
  • Store Irreplaceable Sentimental Items: Keep items with emotional value out of sight or off-site.

10. Communicate with Your Agent

Inform your real estate agent about any concerns and valuables you’re safeguarding. Most agents will ensure all visitors are accompanied during showings.

11. Keep Doors and Off-Limit Areas Secured

  • Lock rooms or storage areas where valuable items are stored.
  • Clearly label or communicate to your agent that certain spaces are off-limits.

12. Conduct a Post-Showing Walkthrough

After each showing or open house:

  • Check that all windows, doors, and rooms are secure.
  • Confirm that no items are missing or misplaced.

 

By taking these precautions, you can focus on selling your home without worrying about the safety of your valuables.

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Additional Resources

Check out these articles for more information:

  1. Redfin: How To Keep Your Home Safe During The Selling Process

  2. Eppraisal: Keeping Your Valuables Safe When Selling Your Home

  3. Personal Property Managers: Top 6 Tips to Keep Your House Safe When Selling It

  4. Dallas Fort Worth Senior Living: 5 Tips to Keep Valuables Safe While Showing Your Home

  5. Off The MRKT: How to Keep Your Valuables Safe While Selling Your Home

  6. West Bend: Eight Ways to Keep Your Home Safe During Showings

  7. Realtor.com: Why Sellers Must Protect Their Things Before Opening Their Homes

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