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Ask Andrew: Safety Tips When Listing A Home

By WTOP Staff

Ask Andrew

This sponsored, biweekly Q&A column is written by Andrew Goodman, broker/owner of Goodman, Realtors. Based in Bethesda, Andrew serves clients in Maryland, D.C., and Northern Virginia. Please submit comments, questions, and opinions in the comments section or via email.

Question: What kind of safety concerns should I have about listing my home?

Answer: When selling a home, your agent’s main objective is to get as many people into the home as possible to view it. But when someone views your home, how do you know your home and the items in it are safe?

Unfortunately, you don’t — and you don’t want to be at the home when someone is viewing it, as it could hurt your chances of selling. So what can you do? Here are some things to keep in mind to help insure you and your home’s safety.

Keep tabs on who goes into the home. If you’re selling your home as a “For Sale by Owner” (FSBO), you want to keep tabs on any agents that go into your home. Ask for names, cell numbers, companies they work for and their MRIS ID number.

The MRIS ID number is an agent’s access ID to the MRIS (the database of properties for sale) and it contains all pertinent information. If something were to happen, you’d be able to locate that agent pretty easily. If the potential buyer is not represented, you should stay at the home during the visit. Be sure you are not alone during the tour. If you have an agent that has listed your home, he or she has many systems and services at their disposal to be able to keep tabs on who visits.

I use a system called Centralized Showing Service (CSS), which sends me an email of every agent who has scheduled a showing with his or her name, company name and his or her contact number or email. I also receive an email from Sentrilock when an agent uses the electronic lockbox to gain access to the home.

Remove personal belongings. Whether you’re selling your home as a FSBO or with an agent, please be sure to hide or remove all valuables. Unfortunately, a buyer’s agent doesn’t know what items are in the home and can’t always keep tabs on all of the people on a particular tour. So be safe and make sure those valuables are not in sight. (Make sure that all spare keys to the home and vehicles aren’t out in the open.)

Don’t answer the door for strangers. DO NOT answer your door to any strangers. If you’re selling your home as a FSBO, be very careful who you let in to view your home. There are many chances to let in the wrong person. If you’re selling your home with a Realtor, don’t let anyone into your home who wasn’t announced or doesn’t have an appointment set up. There are some people who act as agents, however if they were agents they would have followed the steps outlined by the listing agent to show the property. If they’re actually agents and did not follow those steps, that is their fault and should still not be able to view your home.

Keys for the lockbox. I recommend that sellers provide only a key to the lower lock, if possible, to be put in a lockbox. That way, the seller can lock the deadbolt when home. If an agent tries to gain access when he or she wasn’t scheduled, that agent wouldn’t be able to gain access. Also, in the event that someone finds a way to break into a lockbox, that person has access only to the bottom lock, not the deadbolt.

Alarm code. Change your alarm code from your normal alarm code and provide that to your Realtor. Or, make an alternative code that can be provided. Most individuals don’t change their alarm codes and since that code needs to be given out to Realtors, the code will be in a lot of people’s hands. In the event you take if off the market, you don’t want that code still in someone’s possession.

Using a Realtor tends to be the safest way to list a home. Realtors have access to systems that can help protect your home, not to mention the fact that we have to follow a code of ethics. With that being said, Realtors are still human and not all of them follow the rules. So make sure you choose your Realtor wisely and be sure to protect your family and your home when listing it for sale.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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