Safety Precautions when you’re selling – or buying – a home in Tamaqua

When your home is for sale there will naturally be strangers – both buyers and their agents -  coming through. The likelihood that any one of them has evil intent is very slim, but still… The old adage “Better safe than sorry” does apply.   Follow these simple guidelines to keep you, your possessions, and your visitors safe: Put all of your valuables, including cash, in a secure place – like a safe, a locked cabinet, or your safety deposit box. It isn’t enough to put things in a drawer or up on a shelf.   If you have treasured possessions, pack them for the move before the first visitor arrives. Accidents happen and some people can’t resist pocketing treasures. You don’t want your favorite things broken or stolen.    Stash your mail, especially bills and bank statements, in a safe or a locked drawer.  Do the same with your credit cards and checkbooks. Don’t invite identity theft! Keep your medicine and prescription drugs in a container and take them with you when  you leave the house for showings. These could be a danger to small children – or a strong temptation for a buyer who would either pocket them for personal use or to sell. Lock up your guns and ammo for the same reasons. Remove your children’s names from their bedroom walls. Pack up awards, trophies, and other identifying objects. Put family photos away for now. Visitors don’t need to know who you are or what you do. If you have small children, put their toys away before visitors arrive. Some people don’t watch their kids, and you can’t assume that every child who picks up a toy is healthy. You don’t want your kids picking up a cold or flu bug, and it’s no fun to have to scrub all the toys any time the house is shown. Put strong cleaning products, other harmful chemicals, and sharp tools on a tall shelf where children cannot reach them. Remember that some buyers let their children roam at will, and you don’t need to be responsible for some child drinking drain cleaner! Check the house for tripping hazards such as throw rugs and electrical cords. If you have stairs without a hand rail, install that rail before your home goes on the market. Then check outdoor pathways. If you have garden hoses across a walkway, coil them up and get them out of the way before the showing. If you have a sidewalk, make sure it is clear of dirt or gravel that could cause a person to slip and fall.   IF YOU’RE THE BUYER… Watch your children! Not every seller will read and heed this list of precautions. Therefore, for safety’s sake, assume that there are dangerous chemicals lurking in lower cabinets – and that the resident children do have a cold or flu bug that your child could pick up by playing with their toys.