Real Estate "Lockbox" Caper

As a REALTOR® it surprises me how many local residents do not lock their homes. Gone is the "age of innocence" and while most area municipalities are safe environs inwhich to live, failing to lock you home and car is simply an open invitation for thieves to take advantage of you.
During the selling process, the real estate community as as whole goes to great extremes to protect your home from unauthorized entry. The Georgian Triangle Real Estate Board's MLS® rules require that all property showings must be booked through and confirmed by the listing Broker's office. During the listing and sale process, your home is essentially in the custody and care of the REALTOR® with whom you have your home listed. Late in 2007, the Georgian Triangle Real Estate Board implemented the mandatory use of "electronic" lockboxes on all residential property listings where applicable. These lockboxes faciliate easy showings of seller's properties yet offer the ultimate in security as they are accessed with a "Smart Card" which must be updated every 48 hours in order to work. Further, the electronic lockboxes track those persons that have been in your home thus providing a paper-trail of all showings as well as any entry to the property that was not made with the listing Brokerage.
Recently a story emerged in the U.S. whereby two individuals were charged with multiple counts of theft. The accused gained entry to their victim's homes via the old "mechanical" style of lockbox. One of the accused acquired the lockbox access codes through her employment with a real estate company that set-up property showings. Due to the lack of security provided by mechanical lockboxes, their manufacturers do not support their use in the real estate application. The electronic lockboxes used by local REALTORS® is the best means by which your home can be secured during the sale process. Even of your home is not for sale, do yourself a favour and always lock your doors at night or at any time when you are away even if only for a short time. As the saying goes, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pond of cure."