Real Estate Open Houses: Lock Up Your Valuables

Late last week, the Kennewick police arrested a man who is accused of looking for prescription medicines while attending Open Houses.

I hadn’t encountered the man, but some of my real estate colleagues had, and were relieved to have him behind bars in time for the Open House Extravaganza on Sunday.

Apparently, the guy would walk in the Open House, explain that he was looking for a house for his relatives moving from elsewhere and then tour the home. While in the bathrooms, he’d close the door and search for drugs the homeowners had in their medicine cabinets or vanity drawers.

He never went into vacant or new construction homes, only those that were owner-occupied.

Set aside the fact that almost everyone I know stores their prescription medicine in the kitchen, because they don’t install medicine cabinets in homes anymore and because it’s easier to wash it down with some water or ‘take with food’ if you’re already in the kitchen. The point is that not everyone who tours your house wants to buy your house. Sometimes they come in for decorating ideas. Sometimes it’s to reassure themselves that they bought the right floor plan. Sometimes they want to see what you did with that awkward space by the entry which isn’t big enough for a cabinet, but too large for just an umbrella stand. And sometimes, they want to steal your jewelry or your money or your oxycontin.

Bottom line – when you put your house on the market, be sure to secure your valuable items, including prescription drugs.