Why Agents and Security Alarms are a Bad Combination

Many security alarms can be handled from a mobile phone.

Agents and security alarms are a bad mix. I think I am the worst when it comes to turning off alarms. If my sellers are agreeable, I generally ask them to program their alarms to be off during lockbox access hours. That’s because I know there are plenty of other agents out there like me who, regardless of good intentions, can’t seem to handle turning alarms off and on again without setting them off. It’s a deficiency I have, and I’m not sure how to solve the problem. If your listing has an alarm set and I enter, you’ve got a 50/50 chance that I’m going to set it off. I’m sorry. I can be a doofus.

True story about agents and security alarms from several years ago. The alarm wasn’t armed at this particular house when I set out to show homes in Land Park. It wasn’t on when we did the home inspection, either. But by the time I popped over to pick up the buyer’s mail, which she forwarded due to an incident involving identity theft, the security was armed. I was in caffeine withdrawal because I hadn’t yet enjoyed my lone cup of coffee for the day. Grabbed the keys from the lockbox and went inside. Beep, beep, beep. Normal sound when an alarm isn’t set. Then, without warning, EIIIIIEIIIIEIIIIEIIIE. It hurt my ears.

Dashed back to the lockbox, fumbled with the key container to find the alarm code and went back inside to turn it off. Managed to cut my finger on the lockbox somehow, so I was dripping blood and trying not to get blood on the keys or anywhere else inside the house. I hate it when this happens. Of course, I called the listing agent to apologize and to confess my culpability, yes, I am the guilty party. At least I was able to set the danged alarm before leaving. It’s always good to get the heart pumping first thing in the morning, but I wish it wasn’t due to that sort of incident involving agents and security alarms.

The agent told me about a home a few blocks away on Marian Way that had been vacant for some time and recently went into escrow. When the new buyers showed up to do their home inspection, they discovered all the copper plumbing had been ripped out. So, alarms absolutely have their place. Break-ins can happen anywhere, even in upscale neighborhoods like Land Park.