Access to Your On the Market House; Combination Lock Vs. Sentrilock

Putting your home on the market and opening it to the public can be a little nerve wracking, but there is no need to worry when you hire an Ask Gina agent who uses a Sentrilock lock box!

There are 2 different kinds of lockboxes currently being used in Loudoun County and Fairfax County. Below you will see the important differences between the two:

• Combination: The least expensive of the two, it is available in any home improvement store and not exclusive to Realtors. This lockbox is similar to a school locker or bicycle lock. It is typically opened and secured to your home with one code. This means that every time the box is opened to retrieve the key, it is also susceptible to being removed from the door. Because it is not an electronic device, the box is able to be opened 24 hours a day without the ability to turn off at night for security or during a time when the homeowner cannot be disturbed (migraine, sleeping infant, illness, etc). When this type of access is provided to agents, it cannot be tracked to determine who was in the house and when. Access is also available to anyone with the code and is not restricted to agents only.

• Sentrilock: Sentrilock is an electronic box available only through Northern Virginia Board of Realtors. Sentrilock requires agents to use a key card to gain access to the property along with their personal pin number. This key expires daily and must be updated through a card reader in order to be used. Each time the key card is used to open a box, an email is generated to the listing agent letting them know the details of entry (time, agent, property, contact information). This increases both security for the homeowner and the ability to gather feedback from showings. Access to remove the key and remove the box are NOT the same, so the lock box can only be removed by the listing agent. Another feature of this lock box is that it does not allow access at night and allows the homeowner the ability to place a 90 minute Do Not Disturb on the box if their house is not able to be shown at that time.

We at Ask Gina & Company use the Sentrilock lock box exclusively as our clients’ security and convenience is our top priority! When selecting your listing agent of choice, it is important that you ask what kind of lock box they will use. Protect yourself and your investment!

Thinking about listing your home in the Loudoun County Real Estate market? Contact the experts at Ask Gina & Company today and let us unlock the possibilities!

Gina Tufano with Keller Williams Realty Loudoun Gateway, Ashburn, VA

http://www.ask-gina.com/ * 703-574-3478