Are female vendors really safe as houses?
| Published: 8th July 2008 21:10 |
Over 5.6 million female homeowners may be risking their personal safety by allowing men to view their property while home alone.
Although over half (55 per cent) of women questioned said that they'd never let a man into their house on a first date to protect their personal safety, 82 per cent of women are prepared to put their personal safety at risk by inviting men in to view their home while home alone, so as not to miss out on a potential sale.
The research² conducted by, Sheilas' Wheels Home Insurance, reveals that nearly a fifth (19 per cent) admitted that they wouldn't even think of safety issues when showing male viewers around their property.
Consequently, 63 per cent of women did not ask their estate agents what safety checks (if any) were made on buyers before allowing them to visit their property. Astonishingly more than half (57 per cent) didn't even know their potential buyer's name and almost two thirds (62 per cent) of women didn't ask their estate agent whether the interested party was coming to the house alone. This is increasingly relevant as women's earnings continue to rise³, meaning more females are becoming financially independent and choosing to buy their own homes and live alone.
Furthermore, with the ability to arrange private house sales online, more women are liaising directly with potential buyers to sell their properties and sharing personal information with strangers. The research showed that four out of five (81 per cent) women would agree to viewings with men without asking for any details from the potential buyer. A quarter of women (25 per cent) would give their personal mobile number out to men interested in their property and 19 per cent said that they would discuss personal details - such as when they left work and when the house was empty - before meeting the buyer.
A staggering 77 per cent of women admitted that the main reason they are not protecting their safety and allowing prospective male buyers into their homes unaccompanied was eagerness not to miss out on a potential sale - especially in the current climate where buyers are in shorter supply. Other reasons include: estate agents being unavailable at arranged viewing times (64 per cent), embarrassment to ask whether the male viewer would be accompanied by a female (56 per cent), reluctance to bother friends or family to come over (56 per cent), and embarrassment to ask the estate agent to be there at all times (43 per cent) during viewings.
Nearly a third (30 per cent) of women that have shown a man around their house say that they felt ‘intimidated' or ‘nervous' when they were alone with the prospective buyer and a further 10 per cent admit to ending a viewing early because they felt uncomfortable about being alone with a stranger.
Worryingly, women are most likely to conduct property viewings in the evening: 53 per cent of women have shown people around after 7pm, with 3) admitting that they have even allowed viewers to arrive per cent (over 200,000 after 9pm.
Top reasons that women arrange house viewings outside of daylight hours:
- Inflexible demands of the potential buyers (35 per cent)
- Long working hours (19 per cent)
- After-work commitments (16 per cent)
- Reluctance to use annual leave allowance (6 per cent)
Jenny Fawson from the Suzy Lamplugh Trust (http://www.suzylamplugh.org/) comments:
"With the rise of property websites that enable users to sell properties privately without the aid of estate agents, it is increasingly common for women to show prospective buyers around their home unaccompanied.
"There are obvious potential risks attached to this practice, therefore anyone showing a stranger around their home should take their safety into consideration and take suitable precautions."
Top safety tips for showing your property to potential buyers who are unknown to you:
- If selling your house privately, get as much information as possible from the interested party before arranging a viewing and pass on their contact details and home address to a friend or relative. Ask a number of questions until you're confident that they're genuinely interested in purchasing your property.
- If the potential buyer is being sent by an estate agent, ask if their identity has been checked. Do not accept the viewing unless they have.
- If the potential buyer is not coming via an estate agent, do your own checks. Always ask for a work number and call it later (but before the viewing) to confirm that they are who they say they are.
- Try not to conduct viewings alone. If you're single or your partner's unable to attend, ask a friend or family member to be with you.
- Take a friendly but professional approach. Avoid getting too familiar in case it gives out the wrong message. Try to look confident and in control.
- If you have to conduct a viewing on your own, keep a mobile phone with you at all times with a speed dial to a close friend or family member.
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