The Importance of an Electronic Lockbox SUPRA ELECTRONIC KEYBOX SYSTEM AND YOUR AGENT'S PROFESSIONAL IMAGE Is your agent doing everything he/she can to protect your home? More and more real estate companies are "outsourcing" appointment making to independently operated service companies. When an agent calls to show a listed home, the call is answered by someone employed by the outside vendor. That employee schedules the appointment and provides the showing agent with information in regard to how to gain access to the home such as manual lockbox combinations and alarm codes if a security system is present. If the home is protected with an electronic keybox vs a manual lockbox then no combo code is needed. The showing agent must have an electronic keypad registered to that agent and leased through the local Multiple Listing Service in order to open an electronic keybox. Recently there was a rash of burglaries as a result of an employee of one of these service centers stealing manual lockbox codes and using them to gain access to sellers' property. Watch this video and then check to make sure your home, if for sale, has an electronic lockbox. www.wxyz.com Cheaper is not always better. Choosing an electronic lockbox over a combination lockbox provides peace of mind for the seller, buyer, and agent. Since electronic lockboxes record who's opened them, if something is missing or the cat has been let out, listing agents have an audit trail of who's been in and when. That is not the case with combination lockboxes. Mechanical lockboxes do not record information and do not provide time of day lockout. Mechanical lockboxes are not recommended for use in real estate due to their lack of security or combination control. Some companies have used the same generic code for years. Electronic lockboxes require a special electronic key to open them. Electronic lockboxes record who has opened them, capturing name, date and time opened, office and phone number. Electronic boxes allow listing agents to customize the hours a box can be opened. If a key is lost or stolen, those keys can be shut down and will not work with the electronic box. Knowing who's been in also gives the listing agent a marketing tool. Follow up with prospective buyers and find out why they didn't make an offer. Maybe new paint or carpet will make the difference on a written offer. With the ability to customize access hours in an electronic lockbox, day sleepers and latchkey kids needn't be disturbed by agents who might just drop by. With the iBox, there is a record of the date, time, and agent who opened the door to show the property. When your agent uses a combo box there is no record of the showing. How does an agent answer an angry seller when their property is disturbed or damaged? Is your agent doing everything possible to protect you, your home and your possessions??