7 Safety tips for Tamaqua home sellers

When you offer your Tamaqua home for sale, you necessarily invite strangers in – both in person and in photos. While nearly every one of those strangers will be an honest person simply looking for a home, you need to take precautions against those who are viewing homes for illegal purposes.   To protect yourself, your family, and your possessions, follow these simple rules:   Consider the possibility of theft long before the first visitor enters your home. When preparing the house for a photo shoot, keep expensive art work and other treasures out of the photographs.   Never let anyone in to view your home without an agent – and never let anyone in even with an agent unless they have an appointment. It doesn't take much to have bogus business cards printed, so make sure the appointment comes through your agent or his or her scheduling service.   If your children are at home when you're absent, be sure they know not to open the door to strangers. If a showing is scheduled, be sure they know the agent's name and his or her expected time of arrival.   Lock up your valuables. Never leave money, jewelry, or small expensive items where they can be seen and easily pocketed. Instead, put them in a locked drawer or safe or take them completely out of the house.   Lock up your prescription medications – especially if you take pain killers or anti-depressants. The medicine cabinet or a drawer isn't good enough, so take them with you if there's no secure spot.   Put away checkbooks, credit cards, and personal paperwork such as credit card bills, medical bills, insurance forms, and pay check stubs. Identity theft is a growing threat to everyone, so be careful. Remember that waste baskets and garbage cans are a thief's hunting ground, so shred sensitive waste paper.   Put away treasured breakables. Some buyers bring along children who are "into everything." Others carry handbags or wear coats with big sleeves. Accidents happen. The agent showing your Tamaqua home will make every effort to keep an eye on the potential buyers, but as you can imagine, it isn't always possible to watch everyone at once.    So make it easy - remove the temptations.