There’s been a negative trend by Sellers and/or Listing Agents to hinder entry to the home by a number of methods. Traditionally, electronic keysafes are secured and left within eyesight of the front door. The buyers’ agents simply “Call and Go Direct” after making an appointment to preview or show the property. Lacking that, an agent will leave a voice-mail such as, “This is John with XYZ Realty, and I’ll be showing your property between 3:00PM and 4PM this afternoon. If there is a problem, please call me at (123) 555-3452.”

Only licensees in good standing can rent an electronic key, which is coupled with an assigned password in order to access properties. These visits will be time-stamped as to when and who entered the property. This is a time tested routine of having local licensed agents call a seller’s home after following the established instructions of “Call and Go Direct.” It is, however, being eroded by more and more listing agents.

It’s as if the seller and/or the listing agent brainstormed on how to hinder or prevent a sale of their own listing. First, the listing on the Multiple Listing Service, (MLS), states there is No Keysafe. Second, the space designated in the listing for the phone number of the occupant is that of the listing office or agent. So, instead of the buyer’s agent making an appointment directly with the occupant, the listing agent is now the middleman to a simple visit to the property.

Finally, in these cases the buyer’s agent has to call the listing agent to make an appointment to view the property. The listing agent in turn “tries to reach” the occupant and then will call the buyer’s agent back if and when that happens. Of course, if it is an actual showing versus a previewing, the buyer is also waiting “approval” to an appointment

No wonder the homes that don’t sell or are on the market longer typically have a listing that reads No Lockbox and/or By Appointment Only. Granted there are situations where restricting access is entirely appropriate, e.g. an ill occupant, an expensive property, tenant occupied, etc. However, that is absolutely Not the case in this latest ill-advised wave of a real estate trend ~ restricting the flow of foot traffic through a home.