Security tip for these times: if your house is for sale, do not let drive-up people in to "tour"

[Bluebear]

"The police are looking for suspects in a West side robbery/assault. ARMLS has been asked to alert all agents to an assault and robbery that occurred at a listing near Old Town Glendale (vicinity of 43rd Ave. and Glendale Ave.) earlier this week. The homeowner was watering his front lawn when he was approached by a passing couple who asked if they could see the house. The homeowner did what agents teach homeowners to do and referred the inquiry to the listing agent. The couple stayed and continued to talk to the homeowner and after some casual conversation the owner changed his mind and allowed the seemingly nice couple into the house. Once inside, they asked about the neighborhood, then the female pointed to something on the floor and asked what it was. When the homeowner bent over to inspect, the male visitor attacked him from behind and beat him severely. They robbed him of money and damaged his cell phone so he could not call police. The assailants are described as white, late 30's to early 40's in age. The man is 5'8" to 5'9" and the woman slightly smaller, both medium build. The homeowner has been unable to provide more details. They are driving a late model brown/dark gold 4-door Buick with a distinctive radio antenna - it's a coat hanger. If you see such a couple in this car, you are urged to contact the local police department with a location and if possible a license plate number. ARMLS urges you to reconfirm with your sellers that access to the home should never be allowed to someone the owner does not know. All inquiries should be referred to the listing agent, for the homeowner's own protection. Thank you." As sent by ARMLS and WeMAR

So pass this information along to your clients, times are tough and people will go to the extreme.

http://activerain.com/blogs/azreguy

[glowing]

1. Would you let people with a coat hanger for an antenna on their car into your home?

If their car is crap, how in the world are they going to afford a mortgage?

[mrcheerful]

2. If that were the case then SO and I wouldn't be buying the house we are living in

we drive around in a 1978 rust bucket, crack heads stole the antenna off it to make a crack pipe, theres no coat hanger just the nub of whats left of the antenna.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

3. how do you make a crack pipe out of a car antenna?

[Fumesucker]

8. It's a piece of metal tubing.. Or most of them are anyway..

I'm kind of a "McGuyver" type and I could do it pretty easily.

[Bluebear]

4. But you're thinking objectively, not like somebody desperate to sell a house!

[951-Riverside]

5. Unfortunately if you rent and the owner is selling you're required by law...

to allow them to show the place as long as 24hr notice is given (at least in California ).

Potential buyers for the place where I used to live walked around and took photos of my apartment.

[shadowknows69]

7. It doesn't have to be unsupervised though. I went through this

And I made it real clear to my old landlord and the realty companies that no one was looking unless I was there.

[stevedeshazer]

6. recommended