Bryan Vogt: Welcome back, everyone, to Ready, Set, Sold! with your host, Bryan Vogt.
As I mentioned in the last segment beforehand, one of the issues that comes in to play with realtors and actually for sellers is the fact is that it’s almost like beat the clock, that sometimes they get the code for a security system that’s been armed. The seller wants to have it on and then the agent has to get in the house, try to find the kitchen, try to find wherever it is, the utility room or whatever, and make sure you hit that code just right. If you make a mistake on a number, well, you’re probably going to be talking to the police officers pretty soon.
And so it just creates a problem. It also makes it much more difficult sometimes for agents to set up showings, you know, anything else, the least path resistance. Of course, if you want to have that situation, of course you should have that, it’s your house. That’s why I wanted to have Scott Miles on from Barcom Security to kind of address that issue and of some options that you could do to make that basically all go away and make your house just as desirable to be shown as any other house.
Scott, welcome to the show.
Scott Miles: Yeah, hi, thanks for having me.
Bryan Vogt: Hey, as I mentioned before, I kind of gave you what the problem is and what can happen even for sellers and also for agents, but you have a pretty simple solution with Barcom.
Scott Miles: Oh, yeah, it is quite simple. Nowadays our Barcom app comes standard when we sell a system. The app on your smartphone or tablet or computer, you can access it three different ways, we give that to the customer with their new system and, let’s just say a realtor’s going to come to your house that’s for sale and say, “Hey, I’m going to show your house at 1:00 today.” That realtor, when he or she gets there, can let the homeowner know that they’re there and about to show the house. The homeowner can just jump on their smartphone, disarm their system. The realtor can walk in, show the house, and let the homeowner know when he or she’s finished that they’re done showing the home and the homeowner can just rearm their system from their phone right there again from wherever they’re at.
I mean, they could be in Mexico and still arm and disarm their system, so it’s a nice feature. We include that standard and, like I said, it’s a very convenient feature to have nowadays.
Bryan Vogt: No, and it really is. It’s a win-win for everyone, too, because as I mentioned, you know, sometimes the agents, it’s the first time they’ve been in this house, so they’re trying to guess where that’s at. Kind of puts buyers, you know, on the defensive. They’re kind of worried, again they’re playing beat the clock with you. And so it just sets the mood kind of totally differently when you can disarm something that quickly but still have the security of coming back to it. So I love that, and it’s great that you guys offer that program.
You know, the other question that comes up that we hear this from sellers, too, is, okay, you have a security system. Let’s say they’re using you guys, Barcom, and now you are selling. I mean, do they take that system with them? I mean, how does that work and can the new buyer take over that system? Maybe kind of give us a rundown on that, too.
Scott Miles: Yeah, sure. So if you move and there’s a system at the new house that you’re moving to, you know, one, we can take over virtually any system, so even if it wasn’t being monitored by Barcom, it’s really simple for us to do a takeover. Then, the new owners that are coming into the house that you just sold, all we do is we run out there and do a change of ownership, that’s what it’s called, so we just sign up that customer. We get their personal data. We get the codes that they’re going to want, the phone numbers that, you know, who we’re going to call first, second, on down the line. Get all their personal data contact, get that downloaded into the system and then, voila, their system’s all in their name. It’s got their codes, their programming. It’s really quite simple and takes virtually minutes, so-
Bryan Vogt: And that’s neat, too, because like I said I know, back in the day, and this is years ago, many years ago, I should say, it was a totally different setup and what we’re describing before. Not only that but just, you know, does the security system stay, does it go, who owns what? Is it pretty standard now that the, and that’s another question comes up, owning the security equipment or is it more just leasing and it just stays there with the house. How does that work?
Scott Miles: Pretty much, you know, we do very few leases. I mean the system’s so affordable nowadays-
Bryan Vogt: Sure.
Scott Miles: … I mean, you’re talking just a few hundred bucks to get a base system put in there, and then it’s yours. So if you leave it and, let’s just say, there’s already a system at the next house you’re going to, so you just leave it. Like I said, if it’s not a Barcom system, we pop in our panel so then we basically make it a Barcom system so you can still have the luxury of taking that app with you and still having, you know, nice, new, modern equipment, and then leaving, you know, your system at the house for the new homeowners because, you know, nowadays so many people, more and more, are getting security. Unfortunately, the world’s not getting any safer.
Bryan Vogt: Sure.
Scott Miles: Yeah, it’s definitely a nice feature to have, so …
Bryan Vogt: Awesome, awesome. Well, hey, thank you so much for that great information. We’re running out of time on this segment, but you kind of know the situation. It’s very easy either way if you have showings going on but if you’re moving, you want the system, and Barcom could be a great choice for that, you know what to do as a homeowner.
Hey, Scott, thank you so much for joining us today.
Scott Miles: Thanks for having me.
Bryan Vogt: All right.
Ready Set Sold with Bryan Vogt #15-03: Scott Miles of BarCom Security and Joanna Theismann of Delmar Financial: What to do about your security system during showings
September 2, 2017