Do I Know You? Opening Doors For Strangers!

In the last few weeks, I have had several e-mails and a few phone calls asking me to show a home. These requests are from people who have come across a home on my website and call me. While this is very cool and the goal of my website, it is not something I am open to. Why, you ask? Isn't that what I am supposed to do? Well, yes and no. I am happy to provide general information as well as send a list of homes to people who ask. When I am asked to just show up and open a door for someone, I am not willing.

These people are strangers to me! More importantly, they are strangers to the homeowners whose home I am opening.

Certainly there can be no harm in opening a home for someone to view, can there? Generally, no! There have been exceptions; instances where Realtors have been accosted, even murdered at a home they were showing. While these instances are rare, in light of the many homes we show and the open houses we have, they are a concern. Does this make me overly cautious? I don't think so. I believe I am reasonable. Reasonably cautious!!

It is my opinion, homeowners have an expectation that if I am opening their home, I have some knowledge of the people I have opened it up for. It doesn't matter whether they are my client or the client of a fellow Indianapolis Realtor. I have a list of reasonable questions I ask before I will show a home. Preparation provides me and the home owners a sense of security. They know if I bring someone to their home and open it, I have prequalified that person and have not opened their home to a stranger.

While I am happy to assist my clients in finding the perfect home for them, if I don't know you, you are not a client. If you are not my client and you want to see one of the homes I have listed, have your agent call me. After all, I am commited to selling my client's home. If you don't have a real estate agent and want to view homes, be prepared to answer some questions before we head out to 'open doors