Do You Know Who’s Asking for Your Lock Box Code?

You’re listing a vacant property with a lock box. Someone whom you don’t know contacts you, says that he/she is a real estate broker, and asks for the code of your lock box. What do you do?

(a) Figure that the property’s vacant, so it’s okay to give.

(b) Assume that the person is telling the truth and give him/her the code.

(c) Check to make sure that the person actually holds a real estate license.

The correct answer is (c).

A REALTOR reported receiving an email from a woman who claimed to be a real estate broker and wanted the lock box code for the vacant property that the REALTOR was listing. The listing broker did not recognize the name and became suspicious because the email was sent from a personal email address and made no mention of a company name. The REALTOR found no record of the alleged real estate broker and contacted the police. Why was the REALTOR so cautious? Because the day before, someone entered the REALTOR’S vacant listing in order to steal copper piping. A cooperating broker arrived in the middle of the theft and scared the would-be thief away. The thief left behind a trash bag full of piping. After the showing, buyer spotted by would-be thief driving by the property, followed him and called the police.

The moral of the story: know who’s on the other end of the computer or phone before you provide a lock box code.