In 2007, Chicago Association of Realtors (CAR) made a big step and switched from the Supra lockbox system to the Sentrilock system.  CAR recognized that very few city agents were using the lockboxes or the remote Supra keys.  In 5 years of showing homes in the near north side neighborhoods of Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Bucktown, Wicker Park, Lincoln Square, Old Town, South Loop,   I never got the chance to use the little Supra key remote to open a lockbox and get the keys to a home.  

The new Sentrilock system has several nice features including one that allow access to buyer agents that don’t have Sentrilock keycards.   Its time for Chicago listing agents to start using them!

It certainly is a positive service to your seller when you show the home yourself.  In my first few years as an agent, I appreciated that the other agent showed the property because we generally don’t get the chance to preview homes before showing our buyer clients.  However, after a few years in the business, I discovered that many of my client purchases were often IN SPITE OF the listing agent’s direct interaction rather than DUE TO the listing agent’s interactions with my buyers. 

My biggest headache is when I call to schedule a Saturday showing on the prior Wednesday and the listing agent tells me they are out with a buyer all day and cannot show the property at all.   That is a disservice to their client that I am sure their client rarely knows about.  I am sure this listing agent-client conversation does not occur very often,  “I am busy with another client all day Saturday, so no one can see your house.”  What if I have an out of town buyer that is going to make a decision over the weekend and will miss your house if I don’t show it then?   

I know there are certain circumstances where the seller will only allow the listing agent to show the house or where its not practical to put 20 keys to a multiunit building in a lockbox.  However, I certainly don’t think its necessary for every property in city to be shown by its agent, when agents around the country take advantage of various secure lockbox systems. 

In this market environment when every showing is precious, I highly suggest you take advantage of the Sentrilock system.  It allows you to assign a specific one-day code to a specific agent if the buyer agent does not have a Sentrilock keycard.  If you don’t use this system or other safe method for getting keys to buyers agents then you are not likely working in your clients best interest.