A Word of Caution

We lost thousands of dollars within minutes.

No, not in Vegas last weekend...

But in our own home Thursday afternoon.

We were headed to the lake for one last wakeboarding run of the season. As we were launching the boat, B.T.C. received a call from a woman claiming to be a real estate agent. She asked if she could show our house to potential buyers.

Our home was for sale, so the request seemed routine enough.

We agreed.

When we returned home later that evening, we noticed the front door had been left unlocked.

Unusual.

B.T.C. called the number back to ask about it.

No response.

The next morning, we discovered that an envelope containing cash was missing.

B.T.C. called again.

Still no response.

Then reality hit.

I went to put on my wedding rings...my original ring and the new one B.T.C. had given me this year for our 15th anniversary.

They were gone.

My heart sank.

We had been burglarized.

I began searching the house, checking the places where we kept valuables.

One after another...

Gone.

My cash box containing tithing money, spending money, and other cash had been emptied.

The frightening part was that these things weren't all sitting together in an obvious place. They were kept in different locations throughout our home.

Whoever came into our house seemed to know exactly what to look for.

As I handed the police officer my list of stolen belongings, I'll admit my thoughts weren't particularly charitable.

I thought, Boy, if they find these people, I'd like to...

Well...

You can probably fill in the blank.

And then, of course...

Pray for them.

Just kidding.

Unfortunately, that one hadn't crossed my mind yet.

Humor aside, the entire experience left us feeling violated.

A home is supposed to be the place where you feel safe. Knowing that strangers had walked through ours, opened drawers, searched through our belongings, and taken things that were precious to us was an awful feeling.

I learned a very expensive lesson, and I wanted to pass along a word of caution to anyone selling a home:

• Verify unexpected showing requests through your real estate agent or the agent's brokerage before allowing someone into your home.

• Secure cash, jewelry, important documents, and irreplaceable valuables somewhere truly safe. A drawer or closed cabinet isn't enough.

• Consider having your own real estate agent present for showings or ask what security procedures are in place before allowing access.

• Review your homeowners insurance policy so you understand exactly what protection you have for cash, jewelry, and other valuables. Additional coverage may be needed for certain items.

• If something about a showing doesn't feel right, stop and verify before allowing anyone inside.

What frightened me most was realizing how legitimate everything seemed at the time.

We didn't knowingly invite thieves into our home.

We thought we were allowing potential buyers to see it.

I wish we'd known then what we know now.

So if you know someone who is selling a home, please remind them to be careful.

Things can be replaced.

Some sentimental things cannot.

And the feeling of security you have inside your own home is far more valuable than either.