| I have been showing a lot of houses lately. One thing I’ve noticed is the number of agents using combination locks instead of a system our local associations have adopted (a LONG time ago) called Sentrilock. The difference is stark. Sentrilock is recorded. You log into the lock via an app on your phone and it releases the key. It has lock out features that disable it altogether during certain time windows (say 8pm to 8am). Access is only given to members of the association and is tightly controlled. A combo lock is like one you can get at Lowes for $25. It has no security other than a 4 digit code. Does not record who used it or who has that code. A sentrilock box costs around $125 and being on the system costs around $140 per year. What is surprising to me is the number of agents that opt to use the combo lock over the sentri and the number of agents showing houses that ask for a “one day code” from listing agents that use a sentri. This means they haven’t paid the annual user fee. Several things about this surprise me. If you are selling your home, you are inviting strangers to have access to your home–both agents and buyers. As your agent, I want the higher level of security to make sure the person showing your home is a professional and that the clients can’t gain access later. It is not uncommon for an agent to show a home to someone they don’t know. If I have just a 4 digit combo to gain access, what stops the client from looking over the agent’s shoulder to see that number and then come back later? I want to have a log of who accessed the home in case something goes missing. Sentri retains those access logs for a very long time. It is easy for me to pull history for who accessed and when. I see it as a professionalism thing. The cost of access and the hardware is ultimately not that high. It is a cost of being in the business. It is a tool of the trade. If you hired a painter and they asked if they could borrow a brush when they showed up, would you trust them to do the job? How about a carpenter with no hammer or tape measure? Not using a sentri is a compromise to someone else’s safety. It may be an expense for me but that expense is a small price to make this stressful time a bit more safe for my clients. Maybe an agent has a good reason not to use a sentrilock on a specific listing. It is possible I suppose. Maybe a vacant listing with several subcontractors coming in and out or something. But, at the end of the day, question someone that compromises your safety. Remember you are in charge of your home and listing. |
