Security Advice for Selling

When selling your home it is good practice to follow a simple set of precautions to minimise any risk involved with inviting strangers into your home when conducting viewings. Housetrade recommends following this approach when selling a property on our website.

• You do not need to put your full contact details on the advert. In fact you only have the option to put contact details on classified adverts, and even then this is optional. Try limiting the postcode to four characters or leaving off the house number until you want to release the full details to a serious viewer. Likewise if you do put contact details on, only put your preferred method of contact on the advert. Telephone numbers can be exchanged by email once you are happy that it is an authentic viewer coming to the house.
• To keep complete anonymity use the Housetrade User Messaging system 'Arrange A Viewing'. Using the Housetrade User Messaging System is good for two reasons: It keeps your important contact details anonymous until you decide to release your details; it prevents your contact details being used for unsolicited marketing via email, post or over the telephone. If you do include your email address on a classified advert the system will only display this email once a potentially interested Buyer clicks on the email tab, again preventing unsolicited contact.
• When receiving enquiries for your property, ask for their contact details and preferably obtain a landline number if you can. Housetrade stores and verifies all the contact details of people using the site but it is always best to obtain contact details for your own records.
• When arranging a viewing ensure that you let either a friend, relative or neighbour know of the appointment time especially if you live alone. Even better would be to have them with you when the potential Buyers arrive. This common sense approach should prevail whenever any unknown guest is visiting your home.
• Ascertain how many people will be coming to your property including children. Put away all valuables and stay with the potential Buyers at all times.
• If you receive an offer on your property through the remit of the Housetrade.co.uk website from someone who has not viewed the property do not worry as we ensure every Buyer who places an offer has had their deposit and solicitor verified. There are property investors who do bid on properties ‘blind’ however if you have any concerns over the authenticity of a bid it is still recommended to report the bid to the team at Housetrade.