Guns in house while it is for sale

[wuluf]

I need some advice from the collective. We're likely putting our home on the market, with open houses, realtors having the alarm code, basically having people we don't know come through while we're not home.

I have two small gun safes, next to the bed and in a closet. Long guns in that closet as well. I don't want them in the house for people to notice, but can't think of a secure alternative. I would hate to store them at a friend's house and have them stolen from there. In Sacramento, not a high crime area, but not crime free either.

Has anyone dealt with this? Any suggestions?

[Cokebottle]

Not many options if you don't have a secure off-site storage location... and self-storage units are FAR from secure enough... I'd wrap them in blankets and stash them in the attic before I'd use a self-stor.

The agent is licensed and bonded... not likely to eff around with that. It's visitors to the open house events "casing" your home that are a bigger concern... coming back later when you are not home.
The mere presence of the safes will be an attraction to them.

Are the safes small enough to discreetly box up and stash in the garage?

[oddball]

When we sold our house last spring, we moved the gun safe into the garage, covered in packing blankets., plus surrounded by other boxes, crates, etc. Worked out fine.

[Eat Dirt]

When we sold our house last spring, we moved the gun safe into the garage, covered in packing blankets., plus surrounded by other boxes, crates, etc. Worked out fine.

That's the ticket ..

Harbor Fright has those packing blankets on the cheap

" That ...Oh that's just a pile of stuff we are going to get rid of "

[cannon]

You can throw sheets over the safes and is it possible to store the rifles in the garage up in the rafters? You only need two sheets of plywood to build the deck if it ids not there already.

Seen some wild stuff while house shopping in the past. LASD Sgt. uniforms in the closet a safe in the garage with AR's laying on the work bench. Shakes head.

Wife and I buy the next house. Then move and sell the old house. We'll also move the firearms and ammo instead of the movers doing it.

[tommyboy619]

I too store my guns in a closet. When we sold the last house, I switched out the knob to a keyed lock and told the agent it would remain locked. If someone doesn't want to buy my house because they can't view one closet, then they can kick rocks.

[ARFrog]

Realtors are licensed in the State of California but are rarely bonded. Depending on which MLS they are a member of their lock box system may record which agent enters the property by date and time.

All of this does not account for clients who may split into different directions while the property is being shown or people going through an open house.

The issue here is taking reasonable care to protect your firearms and other valuables. Don't make it easy to quickly pocket valuables.

However, there is missing information here. Are we talking good safes or cheap sheet metal ones? Good locks or cheap ones? Depending on the answers you may wish to leave things alone or take other measures. Bottom line is use common sense.

[johnthomas]

Do you have an attic or crawl space you can put them in? My Daughter recently sold her house. She had a few things in the attic. Make sure you leave the ladder in the garage, not near the attic opening.

[The Gleam]

Cover them in appliance boxes from Home Depot left-overs. Potential buyers will merely assume those are items in process for a move. Refrigerator, dishwasher, stereo, cabinet, etc. If you go behind a Home Depot or furniture store, you can probably find some.

[jstert]

Guns in house while it is for sale

handguns locked in their usual small metal toolboxes, then placed 2-3 in a couple of locked plastic storage containers. locked long guns in a locked golf club luggage bag. all surrounded with other household junk. ammo was harder and heavier to move about but booze boxes from liquor store are small and sturdy. i told my listing realtor about the firearms & ammo so she she could keep an eye peeled too. sadly when i was moving the trailer went off the road and all were lost in a lake.


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[Jimmy's]

I covered my safe with a large box.

[traveler1952]

If I read OP correctly he does not have safe??
Buy a dam safe. Even a harbor freight one is better than keeping your long guns in a closet.

[nedro]

If I read OP correctly he does not have safe??
Buy a dam safe. Even a harbor freight one is better than keeping your long guns in a closet.

So, couldn't get past the first paragraph, eh?

[OCEquestrian]

I recommend a big sturdy metal box with a combination lock on it.. called a SAFE. Surprised you dont have one and dont know anyone with one.

Extra car? Locked in trunk? I suggest that if you are making some $$ on the house sale that you invest in a decent safe before you buy another couple guns.

So, couldn't get past the first paragraph, eh?

A small sheet metal handgun lock box IS NOT A SAFE!

sadly when i was moving the trailer went off the road and all were lost in a lake.

Where and how deep?

[TurboChrisB]

When we sold the last house, I switched out the knob to a keyed lock and told the agent it would remain locked. If someone doesn't want to buy my house because they can't view one closet, then they can kick rocks.

THIS is a good idea. Hell, you can buy a SimpliSafe alarm system for a couple hundred bucks and have just the closet monitered 24/7 if you'd like as well if you want extra protection. Someone opens the door and you have an text alert in 30 seconds.

Then when you move you can easily take the Simplisafe system with you for the next home and use all the sensors and have a nice house security system.