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1. Never picture anything of value in listing photos.
2. Remove antiques that might be damaged.
3. To prevent identity theft, hide bills and other documents that might have your contact information, Social Security numbers or bank account numbers.
4. Remove your checkbook and bank deposit slips.
5. Lock up or remove valuable jewelry.
6. Hide extra house keys, car keys and garage door openers.
7. Don’t hide anything in your top dresser drawer, a place thieves are likely to look.
8. Hide smartphones, tablets and laptops.
9. Shut off desktop computers and lock them with a passcode so no one can get into your system.
10. Hide passwords for your TV, computer and wifi.
11. Lock up all prescription medicines.
12. Take videos or photos of all the rooms so you have a record of what was in each before the open house occurred.
13. Make sure your Realtor has everyone sign in before touring the home.
14. If your home has two levels, ask your Realtor to bring an assistant so both floors are covered.
15. Lock all doors and windows so the only access to the house is through the front door.
16. After each open house, ask your Realtor to check all window and door locks to make sure nothing has been left open for a thief’s later stop-by.
17. Hide personal photos that show your family’s faces.
18. If you’ll be away for a while after the open house, ask a neighbor to stop by to check that all the doors are locked.
Sources: TRULIA, INMAN, REALTY TIMES
