Keeping this one Anonymous because I’m going to stir up some dust in my local realtor world here. Currently have a property for sale. A buyer’s agent agent from a local RE agency called to get the lock box code to show the home to a client. Totally normal stuff. Later, one of our guys had to pick something up at the house and was surprised to find the potential buyer there alone. Security cameras confirmed that he had let himself in and had been there for almost two hours alone. Agent was never there and obviously gave his client the lock box code. When confronted, agent lied and said he was there but had to leave. Security cameras are disclosed and are open and obvious in daylight. This was at night so I’m assuming they didn’t see them or agent would not have lied. Is this ever OK for an agent to give a potential buyer a lockbox code and let them go in alone? I’m am furious but am I overreacting? Home is vacant but high end staged and contractors tools still on basement. I don’t give out lockbox code on rentals because there is a problem with squatters here.

Well I have to confess ours has done it before too, but only in a time-crunch on an empty house. He has worked with us for a long time and does trust us of course.

However, the houses we look at are basically abandoned - certainly not occupied with any of the owners' stuff and often not even power. If they have people or possessions in them, he would go with us.

It comes down to what your agreement with the agent says. If there's verbiage saying, "All tours will be personally accompained for the duration by either a Buyer or Seller agent" then they violated the agreement and I'd be talking to his/her Broker.

If the agreement says, "Agent will provide means of access..." that's too vague. Access can be anything that doesn't damage the property. I don't like vague and would fix that language for all future tours.

If the agreement is silent, then it needs to be specified what the level of expectation is for all future tours.

Keep in mind: real estate agents have very minimal training requirements, and while REALTORS (which 97%+ of real estate agents are) have a code of ethics and conduct, there isn't (to my knowledge) a nationwide standard set of rules for how properties are marketed and shown. That's up for you to discuss and get in writing at the time the agency agreement is established. You cannot assume that just because you want personally accompanied tours that your agent knows this and agrees to provide it. Whenever in doubt, get it in writing.

Little bit funny ... had the lockbox code to a home in foreclosure. I sold it, buyer also sold then the next owner lost it. I wanted to see what - if any - upgrades were made. House was SUPOSED to be empty. While giving my self a tour I woke the owner who MOVED BACK IN!

Ken - Too funny! This business is not for the faint heart!

Years ago I bought a run down house from a builder that was going under. We closed the deal, I changed the locks and had been working on it for about a week. Showed up one morning and couldn't get into the house, locks had been changed, materials taken, and notice hung in window of no trespassing and a phone number. Long story short the out of state bank (which had been paid off the week before) send their contracted hack over to break in and secure the place as part of a foreclosure. He gave me the bank contact name and number after I told him I was going to have him arrested for breaking and entering. One call and I demanded reimbursement for damages. They sent me a check.

I guess it depends on how far you want to take it. You could certainly get the agent in trouble with his state board. Just about every state has an online form to file a complaint.

mass.gov/orgs/board-of-registration-of-real-estate-brokers-and-salespersons

If the agent is part of the REALTORs group they could be in more trouble

nar.realtor/about-nar/governing-documents/the-code-of-ethics

Notwithstanding WMH's response ("HOLY COW! I can't think of a more egregious violation of a Realtor's ethics code and possibly the law"), this does not strike me as a serious breach of ethics. Although the realtor is opening him/herself up for significant risk of damages for allowing a prospective purchaser to enter unsupervised, it is not a big deal. As evidenced by the several board members whose realtors have allowed them.

I worked with a realtor who routinely gave me the code to view the property by myself. I had a long relationship with him however. I would not want someone in a property I was selling who wasn't the realtor however. The problem is that many Realtors aren't that professional.

Its a trust thing as I have been given the code

at least 40 (separate) times. Never a problem.

Is the property listed with an agent? If so, call your listing agent and rip him a new one and he will roll it downhill and rip into the buyer's agent.

If the property is not listed, call the buyer's agent's boss and file a complaint.