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<p><strong>Courtesy of Jimmie Van Hooser your REALTOR®  - 931-320-2142 </strong></p>
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<p><strong>Open House Safety Tips</strong></p>
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<p>An open house can be a great sales tool, but it also exposes you to numerous unfamiliar people for the first time. Stay safe by practicing these guidelines.</p>
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<li>Call the local police department      and ask them to have a squad care drive by during your open-house hours.</li>
<li>Check your cell phone’s strength      and signal prior to the open house. Have emergency numbers programmed on      speed dial. Carry an extra, fully charged cell phone battery.</li>
<li>Determine several “escape” routes      that you can use in case of an emergency. Make sure all deadbolt locks are      unlocked to facilitate a faster escape.</li>
<li>Turn on the lights and open the      curtains. These are not only sound safety procedures, but also great      marketing tactics.</li>
<li>Make sure that if you were to      escape by the back door, you could escape from the backyard. Frequently,      high fences surround yards that contain swimming pools or hot tubs.</li>
<li>When prospective buyers begin to      arrive, jot down their car descriptions, license numbers and physical      descriptions.</li>
<li>When showing the house, always      walk behind the prospect. Direct them; don’t lead them. Say, for example,      “The kitchen is on your left,” and gesture for them to go ahead of you.</li>
<li>Notify a friend or a relative      that you will be calling in every hour on the hour. And if you don’t call,      they are to notify the police immediately.</li>
<li>Inform a neighbor that you will      be showing the house and ask if he or she would keep an eye and ear open      for anything out of the ordinary.</li>
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<p><em>Source: National Association of REALTORS® Safety Week kit</em></p>
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