Home shopping? Don't give up your hand at the door

ATLANTA - Real estate, for the time being, is still booming. In fact, the inventory is low which means folks are trying to outbid one another for homes. Here’s the problem: As soon as you approach the door, the homeowner can listen in on your conversations and they are.

The old-fashioned doorbell is now a camera. It captures the movement on the porch. But it also listens in on conversations.

Often called nanny cams, they can now listen in on what a would-be buyer is saying about that home. Realtor Ashley Derrick of Keller Knapp say that she tells her clients, keep the comments to minimum at the house. Talk about the details later, in private.

“I have been in a house with clients. We were in a kitchen surrounding and a camera that was clearly on. While we were in there talking, the microphone from the owner came in from the other side, and it was as if they were in a grocery store shopping. I actually started speaking to her and saying, ‘We can hear you.’”

When house hunting the buyers start listening to your offer at the door.

When you get to the door you don’t want to give us your hand. Don’t say, ‘I love this house. I’ll pay anything for it.’ Bad move.

When you get inside, don’t comment negatively on personal things like their decorations or family pictures. That could get you booted from contention.

Beyond that, here’s an ethical dilemma with all of these cameras capturing would-be buyers that you might not have thought of yet.

“One of the things that I worry about with cameras is, and I will say this, what if the seller doesn’t like the look of my buyers? What if they don’t like who my buyers are? I find that really nerve wracking and people maybe haven’t thought about that. Can sellers then pick and choose who they want to buy their house?” Ms. Derrick adds.