Hide-a-key vs Realtor lockbox?

[MissHell]

Anyone know how safe a realtor lockbox is?

I have paranoia of locking myself out. I live in a townhouse/condo and no yard to hide a key. I thought about doing the hide-a-key at my co-worker's house, he lives 3 miles away. Better than nothing, but kinda far if I did get locked out.

I am considering a realtor lockbox and attaching it to my bike's NY chain, under the cover. Just wondering how safe they are, since it will be somewhat visible. :idk:

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b198/MissHell218/GEkeylockbox28.jpg

[cuttle]

why not just install a key-pad door lock?

http://www.amazon.com/Morning-Industry-PAKL-01RAQ-Right-Hand-Antique/sim/B000BY8BXI/2/ref=pd_cp_hi_sexpl

[JARVIS518]

if someone has enough time the boxes are easy to crack, all that is needed are the numbers. they dont have a code

ex. say the numbers are 1-5-9-0
it can be put in 0-1-9-5 and it will open

[Gas Man]

They sell a bolt on style box like those realtor boxes. You can bolt it to a porch pillar or whatever.

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100653154

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100653156

[Mr Lefty]

why not just install a key-pad door lock?

http://www.amazon.com/Morning-Industry-PAKL-01RAQ-Right-Hand-Antique/sim/B000BY8BXI/2/ref=pd_cp_hi_sexpl

how would you fit that on a chain? :lol:

[Mr Lefty]

if someone has enough time the boxes are easy to crack, all that is needed are the numbers. they dont have a code

ex. say the numbers are 1-5-9-0
it can be put in 0-1-9-5 and it will open

SOME ARE... cypher locks are not that way... don't know if you can get some that are in boxes like this... but if the code was 1-2-3-4 you have to put it in that order.

also you can do combos like... pressing 1&2 together then 3 then 4.

[Rangerscott]

I'd rather hide a key than display it in a little metal box.


Hold chisel, smack with 3lb sledge hammer, falls to ground.

[BobTheBiker]

I'd rather hide a key than display it in a little metal box.


Hold chisel, smack with 3lb sledge hammer, falls to ground.

my thoughts exactly. I'd rather conceal the key somewhere hard to see.

[vickibocc]

if someone has enough time the boxes are easy to crack, all that is needed are the numbers. they dont have a code

ex. say the numbers are 1-5-9-0
it can be put in 0-1-9-5 and it will open

Yeah, when Jarv and I lived in a townhouse community, we used the realtor lock box, but we had a little better place to hide it. There was a storage closet in our patio and we put it on the doorknob on the inside of that closet. The closet itself was hidden behind a wall that separated the rest of the patio from a small section where the AC unit was.

I'm not sure if I would have trusted it if it were easier to find.

[Particle Man]

my in-laws live next store. They're always home so I just go over there if I lock myself out and grab the spare key :lol:

[Gas Man]

If the garage is attached... put a key code opener outside and hide a key for the house inside the garage. Plenty of good places in a garage.

[Papa_Complex]

If the garage is attached... put a key code opener outside and hide a key for the house inside the garage. Plenty of good places in a garage.

Except that if you leave your garage open these days, with or without a door into your house, you're nuts.

[Particle Man]

Except that if you leave your garage open these days, with or without a door into your house, you're nuts.

yeah, I leave no keys in the garage anymore :(

[Papa_Complex]

I hope that you didn't learn that one the hard way.

[Destitute]

I thought everyone left a spare key under their doormat.

[Gas Man]

Except that if you leave your garage open these days, with or without a door into your house, you're nuts.
Still not a big deal if its hidden well. Think of all the places in a garage you could hide a key though... still way better than the cheasy hidden rock thing.

But I rarely even leave my garage door open.

[Papa_Complex]

Still not a big deal if its hidden well. Think of all the places in a garage you could hide a key though... still way better than the cheasy hidden rock thing.

But I rarely even leave my garage door open.

Your closing sentence is pretty much my point. Why don't you leave your garage open? Do you have valuables in there? Do you have a door that connects it to the inside of the house?

A garage is a place where a criminal can work in peace, without being visible to the rest of the neighbourhood. They can turn the place upside-down and you wouldn't have a clue, until you got home and found the mess.

[Gas Man]

I am a security nazi PERIOD. Of coarse I have valuables, 2+ bikes, tons of tools, riding gear, parts, ect...

I my garage is connected to my house. However, unlike most, I dead bolt lock that door ALL THE TIME. Further, both the large vechicle door, the side door, and the inside door to the house are all connected to the house alarm. So not only do you have monitoring, an interior siren, and an outside alarm. Plus, with castle law here in Michigan. I will shoot!!

[Papa_Complex]

You might want to connect the garage doors to the alarm also. A garage allows uninterrupted work for hours at a time and a saw eliminates the alarm/deadbolt.

[Gas Man]

No that's what I said... they are all hooked to the alarm

[Lamnidae]

Plus, with castle law here in Michigan. I will shoot!!

Castle Law.


Quite possibly one of the best things EVER.


We deadbolt the door to the garage. We deadbolt all the doors.... 'cept the back door if the dogs are outside....

[Gas Man]

Yeah but what the states need to do to back that up is that, if the shooter/home owner is not convicted of any criminal case, then no civil case can be brought onto him/her. That is VERY IMPORTANT!!