"He poses as a potential North Texas homebuyer, but police say one man has stolen thousands of dollars worth of jewelry from houses that are up for sale," wrote Maryanne Martinez, a reporter with CBS 11 in Dallas.
I was interviewed as part of this story by our local CBS affiliate. I had some fun and selected one of my listings in the area and even got my homeowner involved in the story. I took the photo on the right with my iPhone.
"It makes me a little concerned," said Teri Sullivan, whose house is up for sale. "I've definitely been putting things up and being a little more cautious to make sure when the showing group calls that it is in fact a realtor bringing somebody."
"Realtors say these types of crimes were happening a few years ago, and have now made a comeback. Tom Branch, with Re/Max Realtors, advises his clients to keep their valuables in a safe or even off-site at a safety deposit box," Martinez continued.
"These people are predators plain and simple. Why break into a house, when you can simply walk into one that's open?" Branch asked.
My seller had some fun being on the evening news and we were able to continue to spread the word. While the guy appears to be a thief, we had a new home sales person murdered a couple of years ago while she was showing property. It pays to be safe and alert.
Click here for the complete story and video.
Tom Branch and Gina Branch, The Branch Team with RE/MAX Dallas Suburbs, service the greater North Dallas suburbs including Dallas, Plano, Allen, McKinney, Frisco, Lewisville, and Carrollton. While Gina concentrates on traditional listings and buyer/tenant representation, Tom specializes in assisting distressed homeowners to avoid foreclosure. Tom and Gina have published two books (Achieving Rock Star Status and The Field Guide to Short Sales) and are available for speaking engagements in the greater Dallas - Fort Worth Metroplex. Subscribe to The Branch Team Blog.
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Tom:
Why break in, indeed? We all need to be vigilant about what goes on at open houses. Particularly in North Texas while that burglar is still one the loose.
Claudette,
I received my media training from an award-winning newscaster. He always coached us to speak in sound bites that invoke emotions.
It's odd for one person to be able to pull it off. Typically, they bring several people so that the agent cannot watch them all while they "tour" the property. I understand they tracked him back by using SUPRA box data to figure out which agents had been in the home and then the agents were asked who they showed the home to.
Thanks for dropping by.
Tom