When selling a vacant home it you should have it staged to look as if it is lived in. From the outside, with curtains and a light or two turned on, it will look lived in to a potential drive by thief. Also, when placing you home on the market, try to find pictures of the inside showing furniture. When you do not have pictures with furniture you could have it staged with rented furniture or add a few pieces from your own collection. It will keep the potential thief guessing. We do not want to invite thieves or potential squatters. Each picture posted on the MLS of an empty room might invite the copper and wire “collectors” of the area.

The other invitation might be the disclosure “bank owned” on the MLS, but due to having to disclose this to the potential buyer there is not much we can do. I have seen listings where agents leave the “bank owned” part out of the public disclosure but have it written into the Agent-to-Agent remarks. I am not certain if this is kosher but that might be an answer.

Many times the under the public remarks is the verbiage used “vacant, OK to show, lock box code XZYT, call for feedback.

…..just don’t do that, you are inviting squatters and others who will use this house for their illegal reasons.