Realtor gave our lock box code away

General Landlording & Rental Properties
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Realtor gave our lock box code away

Scott Pigman
Austin, TX · Member since 2014 · 139 posts · 89 votes

So how's this for a shady situation,

Yesterday, I'm working from home - a house which we have on the MLS as a rental.

Some realtor -- and we're still trying to figure out who exactly she was,

1. Did not schedule a showing to have her clients come view my home.

2. Did not accompany her clients when they came to my home to view it without an appointment.

3. Gave her clients her lock box code and key card so they could enter my home without an appointment and unaccompanied by a realtor.

My wife and daughter weren't home at the time. If I hadn't been home I would never have known about it unless my realtor caught it by cross referencing the lock box access logs with the showing schedule.

Oh, and the couple who came into my home could only tell me their realtor's first name. And the phone number they gave me for her turned out to be bogus.

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Jay HinrichsBusiness Member
Real Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
12y

@Scott Pigman 

  this is an EXTREME transgression from this Realtor this Realtor can lose their license for this activity at least be severely reprimanded... If they are the new key code box's there will be a way to retrieve which agents card was used to get into the box.

@Mary B.  

When your retailing a home you will normally have a lock box on it so agents can get in when no one is home ... Some home sellers will indicate they do not want a lock box and all showings must be accompanied by the listing agent or the selling agent.. at that point its the agents decision if they want to take that particular listing.

In our market for instance if your caught giving out your log in and password to access the MLS system that is a 20k fine and they do fine folks and can kick them out of multiple

As I state above for an agent to give their lock bock key code out or their device to open the box to a client is a MAJOR infraction.. What would happen if that person were a criminal or worse some type of sexual preditor  and this homeowners wife was home alone  this is why Open houses the female RE agents holding them must really be aware of their surroundings

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  • Mary B.
    Real Estate Investor · Lansdowne, PA · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 656 votes
    12y

    Is this a home that you and your family currently occupy? I'm confused why a lock box would be used at a house that is occupied.

    You can change the lock box code at will. Most of the time a lock box is used when people don't want to have to accompany every potential buyer to view the property. For best security most investors change the code every few days.  

    Seems like you haven't laid down clear rules with your realtor to abide by and to relay to other realtors to abide by.

    Kudos,

    Mary

    @Scott Pigman 

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  • Scott Pigman
    OP
    Austin, TX · Member since 2014 · 139 posts · 89 votes
    12y

    We live in the home now. We leave during showings. The rules are very clear. This other realtor committed three violations that could cost her her license.

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  • Jay HinrichsBusiness Member
    Real Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
    12y

    @Scott Pigman 

      this is an EXTREME transgression from this Realtor this Realtor can lose their license for this activity at least be severely reprimanded... If they are the new key code box's there will be a way to retrieve which agents card was used to get into the box.

    @Mary B.  

    When your retailing a home you will normally have a lock box on it so agents can get in when no one is home ... Some home sellers will indicate they do not want a lock box and all showings must be accompanied by the listing agent or the selling agent.. at that point its the agents decision if they want to take that particular listing.

    In our market for instance if your caught giving out your log in and password to access the MLS system that is a 20k fine and they do fine folks and can kick them out of multiple

    As I state above for an agent to give their lock bock key code out or their device to open the box to a client is a MAJOR infraction.. What would happen if that person were a criminal or worse some type of sexual preditor  and this homeowners wife was home alone  this is why Open houses the female RE agents holding them must really be aware of their surroundings

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  • Mary B.
    Real Estate Investor · Lansdowne, PA · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 656 votes
    12y

    @Jay Hinrichs  It may vary from state to state but there have been times when I went to see a property and the realtor gave me the lockbox code and simply asked that I let them know when I had seen it and yet there have been times that I was accompanied by the realtor to see the property which had a lock box on it.  A few times the listing agent was already there at the property and other times they weren't. I understand what you are stating though. 

    @Scott Pigman   Does your listing agent have permission to give the code to other agents to show to their clients without being present as long as the other agent is present or must the listing agent be present at all showings regardless if there's another agent there or not?

    Kudos,

    Mary

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  • Scott Pigman
    OP
    Austin, TX · Member since 2014 · 139 posts · 89 votes
    12y

    As I understand it, each realtor has a personal code and a key card which they use to open the box. This way there's a record of exactly which realtors entered the property. My listing agent does not accompany the showing agents and their clients.

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  • Mary B.
    Real Estate Investor · Lansdowne, PA · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 656 votes
    12y
    Originally posted by @Scott Pigman:

    As I understand it, each realtor has a personal code and a key card which they use to open the box. This way there's a record of exactly which realtors entered the property. My listing agent does not accompany the showing agents and their clients.

    Oh ok, that's a great idea giving each realtor a separate code to keep a record. Hopefully you'll get to the bottom of it shortly and things will work out for you. 

    Kudos,

    Mary  

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  • Phillip Dwyer
    Real Estate Agent · Henderson, NV · Member since 2011 · 1k+ posts · 550 votes
    12y

    @Mary B. These guys are talking about electronic lock boxes where the REALTOR has there own key card.  The lock box and key card track each entry, so that the listing agents can see exactly which agents gained access to the property.  The key cards are password locked and need to be updated/synced everyday.

    This is different than the mechanical lockboxes you buy at Lowes.  

    2Reply
  • Jay HinrichsBusiness Member
    Real Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
    12y

    @Mary B. 

      Mary your confusing a construction lock box with a dial code or number punch code with a  RMLS board of realtors electronic lock box to vastly different things..

    and if a seller is ok with an agent putting a contractor box on the home and allowing the agent to give the code out that's up to the seller.

    However in NO circumstances may an agent give their electronic key code physically to ANYONE other than a licensed assistant that is in the system.

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  • Mary B.
    Real Estate Investor · Lansdowne, PA · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 656 votes
    12y

    @Phillip Dwyer & @Jay Hinrichs Thanks for the clarification guys.

    Kudos,

    Mary

    0Reply
  • Scott Pigman
    OP
    Austin, TX · Member since 2014 · 139 posts · 89 votes
    12y

    Yep, what @Jay Hinrichs and @Phillip Dwyer said -- this was a realtor electronic lock box. My realtor is getting the access records. He was pretty upset when he heard about this.

    The risk cuts both ways -- what if they were some sort of criminal, and what if I decided to shoot the intruders first and ask questions later.

    1Reply
  • Scott Pigman
    OP
    Austin, TX · Member since 2014 · 139 posts · 89 votes
    12y
    Originally posted by @Jay Hinrichs:

    In our market for instance if your caught giving out your log in and password to access the MLS system that is a 20k fine and they do fine folks and can kick them out of multiple

    This is a different topic but this is something I've wondered about. I've seen investor types talking about making a connection with a realtor to get access to the MLS and wondered if there weren't liable to be some sanctions for doing that.

    0Reply
  • Jay HinrichsBusiness Member
    Real Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
    12y

    @Scott Pigman 

     some realtors do it no doubt but if they are caught they are in trouble.

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  • Account Closed
    Dallas, TX · Member since 2013 · 4k+ posts · 744 votes
    12y

    When it is posted on MLS, any realtor can show it all they need to do are call the listing agent and get the code.


    Joe Gore

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  • Phillip Dwyer
    Real Estate Agent · Henderson, NV · Member since 2011 · 1k+ posts · 550 votes
    12y

    @Account Closed That's not exactly the case. For associations that use the electronic lockbox (ours uses SUPRA boxes/keys), each member has their own key pad with the serial number attached to their membership ID. Each member has their own password to operate their key pad. The current technology uses infra-red signals like a tv remote, but some of the new ones are using blue tooth. The MLS listing will give instructions to the agents on what the showing protocol for that particular listing will be. It will indicate if there's an electronic box and the appropriate times to use it (like if you need to call an owner 1 hour prior). The listing agent doesn't need to give out a code, because the showing agents already have their key pad.

    3Reply
  • Jay HinrichsBusiness Member
    Real Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
    12y

    @Account Closed @Phillip Dwyer @Scott Pigman 

      Joe your In the 1960s  times they be a changing.

    read Phillips response he has it laid out how it is.. the new lock box's can be programed to only open at certain hours and certain days and you can also access them with your I phone app. . .they will send an e mail to the owner of the lock box ( agent)  the minute another agent access the box .. they are really pretty incredible and depending on the agent very valuable tools to monitor showing's. /So that listing agents can give feedback to their sellers... the day of having to leave your Bizz card on the kitchen counter is really about over ..

    Again what the agent did that let some civilian use their fob is really really a bad thing and if this owner and his agent pushes it its very likely that agent will lose their license and or be fined heavily.

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  • Account Closed
    Dallas, TX · Member since 2013 · 4k+ posts · 744 votes
    12y

    @Jay Hinrichs

    They still use lock boxes here in Texas and put business cards on the counter, and most agents don't like going hi tech.


    Joe Gore

    1Reply
  • Account Closed
    Clinton, MD · Member since 2014 · 50 posts · 20 votes
    12y

    I actually a have a worse story - about 10 years ago I was looking for a house in a smaller town (about 50,000 people). My realtor sent me a list of about 30 houses that met my criteria. One of them was my friend's home that she was selling. She was out of town that week, but was a single mom with a small toddler. Listed on the description of her house was the key code to the lock box. On the actual MLS description used on Realtor.com, etc! I called her right away, she was livid. She fired her realtor, I'm not sure if she turned him in for the violation though.

    1Reply
  • Jay HinrichsBusiness Member
    Real Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
    12y

    @Account Closed 

      I suspect the homes your locking at were the agent just gives you a code are OREO of some type  fixers no one living there and no real personal property of any value.  In those instances I can certainly see giving investors the code and I can see especially in areas of he country were you talking very low valued homes  that the RE broker is not going to want to be showing up at every showing to sell a 20k house and make their 1200 dollar commish that they have to split 2 or more ways..

    So really depends on the asset on how an agent goes about showing it.

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  • Account Closed
    Investor · Baltimore, MD · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 688 votes
    12y
    Lesson, trust nobody. Clearly the viewers are full of crap, the realtor who authored it is just lazy..not out to hurt anybody I wouldn't go on the warpath if i were you. Not worth your energy unless something got stolen/damaged. The solution is simple, no lockbox on door and your realtor mist accompany all showings...problem solved
    0Reply
  • Jay HinrichsBusiness Member
    Real Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
    12y

    @Account Closed  

      construction lock box's and leaving a card are generally on low valued assets not peoples personal homes that are being retailed.. If an Agent does not have the wherewhithal to buy the supra lock box's they are 100 bucks plus .. but you can buy used ones from the board for 50 bucks ( usually around the first of the year when the new dues are due and realtors getting out of the business turn in their supra box's)  There would not be many top performing agents that are selling owner occ that would not use a supra box.. the ones that don't are not being very professional and are not representing their seller as well as they could or should...the new supra box's are dead simple nothing HIgh tech about them. I can use them so that means anyone can use them.

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  • Joel OwensBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Broker · Canton, GA · Member since 2010 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    12y

    I agree Jay.

    If it goes unreported how would everyone feel if this agent did it again and again and a month from now someone was seriously hurt or robbed etc. at another property??

    We do not know the whole situation here but you do not give out that kind of electronic access to anyone.

    These safety protocols are in place for  a reason.

    We do not have these types of things hardly at all in commercial real estate. We do not even put signs on the property as it would spook the tenants.

    You have to realize in residential there are some newly licensed or long time agents that shouldn't have been given a license to begin with.   

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  • Jay HinrichsBusiness Member
    Real Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
    12y

    @Joel Owens 

      vacant rehabber trashed houses are one thing and its common practice to give out combo codes on those.. BUT  owner occ homes NO freaking way as you state that is just asking for trouble or a tragedy.  If this happened to me I would file a complaint with the Board of Realtors and the DRE in  heart beat.. the business does not need these kind of agents running around risking peoples property and or safety.

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  • Wayne Brooks
    Real Estate Professional · West Palm Beach, FL · Member since 2012 · 23k+ posts · 13k+ votes
    12y

    Agreed with all the posts that the other agent needs to have his a$$ handed to him.  Our supra  system here has an added option, in that the listing agent can add an additional security code that must be entered, in addition to having the electronic "key".  Only about 1% of the agents use it though.

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  • Scott Pigman
    OP
    Austin, TX · Member since 2014 · 139 posts · 89 votes
    12y

    I can say that my agent's view on this is in line with @Jay Hinrichs and @Joel Owens take on it.

    As of this morning we're still waiting on a report from Sentrilock telling us who accessed the box. Apparently this model isn't the latest and greatest that emails the information right away.

    There are fifteen realtors in this market with the same first name that I was given by the people who showed up in my living room. They couldn't (wouldn't?) tell me her last name.

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  • Jay HinrichsBusiness Member
    Real Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
    12y

    @Wayne Brooks 

      Wayne not to beat a dead horse but this is almost like letting someone use your notary stamp  !!

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