Real Estate Lock Boxes

Started by MB8 • 9 replies • 1841 views

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MB8 (Maryland)
Posts: 40

Posted:

My condo development is a gated community. We have at least 10 units that are being sold and/or leased and the real estate agents/property managers have placed lock boxes on the gate close to the front entrance of out community. We have had some recent break-ins and I think having lock hanging from our gate might not be a good idea. For those who live in gated communities, do you prohibit agents and investor's property managers from doing this?

TimB4 (Tennessee)
Posts: 21,059

Posted:

You need to provide someway for agents to show the property.

Have you considered creating a special area for lock boxes?

KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550

Posted:

Yes, in our urban gated HOA, no lockboxes are permitted on residences' doors or on any common areas, e.g. water spigots, fences & gates. this has been in our rules since the buildings opened 15 years ago. I assume the purpose is to not signal that some condos may be vacant.

We do, though, have a guard kiosk at our drive entrance/exit and lockboxes are kept in there for realtors. Do you have a place for lockboxes, MB? Or, would you require that listing agenda accompany agents to the listings?

MB8 (Maryland)
Posts: 40

Posted:

KerryL1

We don't have a guard kiosk. so I was thinking maybe agents could attach lockboxes at the bottom stairwell of our building as opposed to having them attached to the common area gate where everyone can see them. It's also not a good look for the property.

Quote:

Posted By KerryL1 on 10/26/2016 2:29 PM
Yes, in our urban gated HOA, no lockboxes are permitted on residences' doors or on any common areas, e.g. water spigots, fences & gates. this has been in our rules since the buildings opened 15 years ago. I assume the purpose is to not signal that some condos may be vacant.

We do, though, have a guard kiosk at our drive entrance/exit and lockboxes are kept in there for realtors. Do you have a place for lockboxes, MB? Or, would you require that listing agenda accompany agents to the listings?

MB8 (Maryland)
Posts: 40

Posted:

Yes I am looking into having the agents attach the lockboxes inside of the buildings on the lower stairwells

Quote:

Posted By TimB4 on 10/26/2016 2:13 PM
You need to provide someway for agents to show the property.

Have you considered creating a special area for lock boxes?

KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550

Posted:

That sounds like a good idea, MB. Inside, invisible. How do the agents get into the premises?

MB8 (Maryland)
Posts: 40

Posted:

We have a call box at the front gate. I am thinking we can assign the agents access codes so they can get inside the development and the buildings.

Quote:

Posted By KerryL1 on 10/26/2016 3:39 PM
That sounds like a good idea, MB. Inside, invisible. How do the agents get into the premises?

LetA (Nevada)
Posts: 2,679

Posted:

Are the lock boxes placed on the gate to the community entrance for ingress into the community only? and do they contain the unit keys too?
Seems to me it is unsightly and you could ask them to use the remote for gate ingress.

MB8 (Maryland)
Posts: 40

Posted:

They contain the keys to the Units. I just it looks bad to have lock boxes connected to the fence close to the community entrance.

Quote:

Posted By LetA on 10/26/2016 8:45 PM
Are the lock boxes placed on the gate to the community entrance for ingress into the community only? and do they contain the unit keys too?
Seems to me it is unsightly and you could ask them to use the remote for gate ingress.

LetA (Nevada)
Posts: 2,679

Posted:

I agree, it looks hideous.. One of the properties that I guarded at had only pre-authorized RE agents to show units, has your board considered passing such a condition?

I don't see any conflict in passing a condition to remove lockboxes from the property all together and having "select" RE agents show units. This way they will have their own gate remote and access to the units because they keep the key with them.

This is done all the time, especially with service providers like plumbing, electrical and housekeepers... The key point there is to make sure they are licenses, bonded and insured... It protects the total dwelling as well as the interest of all the owners..

There was a service provider that serviced a lap pool/ whirlpoll on the second floor of 2nd penthouse in a 40 floor condo tower. The pool guy forgot to turn off the water and people on the 18th floor had HEAVY water damage..

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