Once you have made the decision to market your property, it is so important that the agent has access to show potential buyers.
On occasion we have been faced with the situation where we are marketing a property, but have not been given a key. The seller is away on vacation or doesn’t live at the property, and we have not been able to show the property. By the time we have organised access, the potential buyer has found another property and an opportunity to show and sell the property has been lost. Buyers sometimes want to see a property at short notice, as they may be going home the next day, and on occasions without a key we have not been able to show it.
It is advisable to leave a key in the hands of a reputable agent. When choosing an agent it is imperative that there is a trust. You are leaving possibly your most valuable asset in the hands of someone else and if you do not trust in that agent, then it is advisable to consider changing the agent you have chosen to market your property.
If you do not live in the property, or you are going on a vacation, then we strongly advise leaving a key with your agent. A reputable agent would never access a property without prior consent and agreement with the owner (unless of course permission has been granted to access the property at any time), and they will always contact you prior to a viewing.
A reputable agent will keep property keys in a locked key safe and all keys are labelled with ID numbers, so the address of the property is not evident with the key, making it impossible for the key to be associated with your property, should it fall in the wrong hands.
An agent needs to be reactive, to avoid losing potential buyers for your property. Unless you are home all day every day, it is always advisable to give your agent a key to access your property, so they can react to a request to view your property quickly when you are not around.
