As a private seller, you will be opening your home to strangers - as many as possible if you want a quick sale at a good price. But they are strangers.

You don't have to be paranoid about it. The evaluation of risk involves two factors: the odds (often quite small) of something bad happening, AND the consequences (sometimes extremely large) if the unlikely comes to pass.

As a homeseller, you face a situation where large consequences outweight small odds: while the statistical risk of mayhem during a showing is extremely low, even realtors are aware of the potential. So why not take a few simple precautions?

• When prospects call, the questions you ask relating to their family and work situation, whether they're first-time buyers, just moving into the area etc., do more than qualify them as buyers - they give you leads you can follow up to reassure yourself that they are who they say they are. Ask them where they work, for example, and you can later call their employer to confirm the information.
   
• When making the appointment for a showing, get your prospect's name and phone number "in case there's a change of plans." Then confirm the information by calling at some point to confirm the appointment. Finally, share the information with a friend of neighbor.
   
• What about drop-ins? Even though your sign says "by appointment only" you will occasionally have prospects knocking on your door unannounced. Should you let them in?

  NEVER immediately, and NEVER at night (what are they doing cruising the neighborhood at night?).

  Talk to them for a few minutes at the door, asking the same kinds of questions you would on the phone. Indicate that you'll need a half-hour or so to get the place ready and be firm about it. Suggest a nearby donut shop if they'd like to relax for a bit before coming through.
   

• Try to line up successive appointments on the same day, say, 45 minutes apart. This offers several advantages: it demonstrates to each prospect that your property is generating serious interest; it saves you time by allowing you to ready the property only once; and, from the security standpoint, it places a time-limit on, and advertises human contact subsequent to, the first showings of the series.
   
• Let a friend or neighbor know about each appointment, asking them to call you, say, a half-hour into the showing. And always have a friend or relative on hand during a walk-through.
   
• But leave your Rottweiler in the garage - some people are genuinely fearful of pets and will lose all interest in your property if there are animals about.
   
• Finally, pack away any valuables, so you can be comfortable leaving visitors alone in any room.