10 Safety Tips to Protect Realtors on the Job
Posted by Teresa Pollock on Wednesday, September 16th, 2009 at 11:57am.
In response to the National Association of Realtor's (NAR) Safety Week, I wanted to start an open discussion with all real estate professionals, both locally and at the national level. All too often, we get caught up in following up with leads, planning our upcoming showings, and meeting with prospective homebuyers that we forget about the most important thing - our own safety. So, I’ve created a list of tips that we can use to be more conscious of our safety as we conduct our real estate business.
Tip #1: Obtain Safety Training
- Follow up with your local Realtor’s Association to see if any safety training is available. For instance, on October 7, 2009, the Raleigh Association of Realtor’s is holding a safety training class for Realtor’s in the Greater Raleigh area. Breakfast will be available at 8:30am and the class is scheduled from 9am-11am. To sign up, please email Sonya at sonyay@rrar.com.
Tip #2: Research Your Client
- Research your client: Before researching homes for a potential client, do a little research on your client, first. Visit the United States Department of Justice’s Website where you’ll be provided with a list of each state’s registry Website. Information surrounding registered offenders, such as their photograph, home address, and conviction reports are available to the public. More specifically, within North Carolina, the public registry can be found online here.
Tip #3: Setup a Buddy System
- Whenever possible, have a co-worker, friend, or family member join you for property showings or open houses. There’s strength in numbers, and predators thrive on isolation, so having a companion is a great deterrent. If you want to take measures more seriously, though, hire an off-duty police officer to accompany you. Sure, it may cost a little money ($30 an hour in Cary NC), but there’s no price for your safety. If you’re interested in this option, contact your local police department.
Tip #4: Plan Property Showings
- Prior to viewing a home with prospective home buyers, preview the property first. This act familiarizes you with layout of the home (both inside and outside), the home’s entrances and exits, as well as the neighborhood itself.
Tip #5: Communicate Your Whereabouts
- Prior to leaving for a property showing or an open house, ensure that your co-workers in your office and your family members at home know exactly which property addresses you’ll be at. Providing them with a detailed itinerary and an expected time of return is also advisable.
Tip #6: Position Yourself for Safety
- During property showings and open houses: When arriving at a home for a property showing, keep the front door unlocked should a quick exit be needed. As you unlock the door to the home, open it and step aside to allow your client to enter first. As you show the home to your clients, keep them together and in front of you at all times. Given that you’ve familiarized yourself with the home’s layout already, you should feel comfortable in directing your clients as you tour the home. Also, as you enter each room, try to maintain your position near the door’s entryway to allow for a quick exit if needed.
Tip #7: Establish a Safety Net
- Create a distress code system comprised of keywords or phrases that will prompt a co-worker, friend, or family member to alert the authorities upon hearing it in a phone conversation. For example, calling a co-worker and asking, “How long has 1 Main Street been on the market?” or “In the red folder on my desk, could you lookup the property taxes for 1 Main Street?” As you can see, selecting a word or phrase that alerts your caller and not your “distressor” is critical.
Tip #8: Communicate Your Whereabouts
- Utilize safety technology: Almost every real estate professional has a cell phone. Cell phone makers are now providing applications and equipment that can be used to keep their users safe. For instance, Apple’s iPhone has a number of applications specifically built for locating someone’s location using a built-in GPS within the phone itself. One such application is iWitness. This application is easy to configure and serves as a great asset to have in any type of emergency. So, contact your cell phone provider to see if there are any safety applications or features which are available to you.
Tip #9: Defend Yourself
- Enroll in a self-defense classwhere effective self-defense techniques are taught. Within Chicago, IL,Thousand Waves’ nationally acclaimed “Five Fingers of Safety” curriculum teaches vital skills covered within most violence prevention courses nationwide. These five skills include: “Think, Yell, Run, Fight, Tell.” Additional information about Thousand Waves Martial Arts and Self-Defense Center can be found online at: www.ThousandWaves.org.
Tip #10: Trust Your Instincts
- When all else fails, listen toyour instincts. If something inside tells you that a situation is potentially dangerous, then chances are – it is! Whether you’re right or wrong, find a way to get out of an uncomfortable situation. Ending a property showing early due to a “family illness” or an “emergency call” from a loved one is a tactic you can use to protect yourself. Plan different ways to end a showing or an open house in an instant.
This post has been created to facilitate an open discussion with other real estate professionals – both locally and nationally. If you have any other suggestions, ideas, or tips for ways that we (as REALTORS®) can help increase our own safety and well-being, then please post your comments below and help us add to the list and strengthen our safety awareness.
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Share16 Responses to "10 Safety Tips to Protect Realtors on the Job"
Teresa Pollock wrote:
Robert, you're correct in that many predators are out there. This post is also in response to an attack on a local Cary Realtor. You can view more info here.
Robert, you're correct in that many predators are out there. This post is also in response to an attack on a local Cary Realtor. You can view more info here.
Posted on Wednesday, September 16th, 2009 at 1:25 PM.
Ashlee wrote:
Great article with lots of information that people need to know. It is always sad when people think about these type things when it is already to late! I always have my phone and pepper spray with me because I never know anymore! Even past clients could turn on you!
Great article with lots of information that people need to know. It is always sad when people think about these type things when it is already to late! I always have my phone and pepper spray with me because I never know anymore! Even past clients could turn on you!
Posted on Friday, September 18th, 2009 at 7:52 PM.
Mike in Dallas wrote:
Yeah Ashlee is my wife above. I bought her pepper spray the other day. Now i just have to stop her from using it on me
Yeah Ashlee is my wife above. I bought her pepper spray the other day. Now i just have to stop her from using it on me
Posted on Friday, September 25th, 2009 at 9:54 PM.
Attorney Smith wrote:
Thanks for this useful 10 tips i think its really helpful for job seekers and your site is very informative i will come back soon.
Thanks for this useful 10 tips i think its really helpful for job seekers and your site is very informative i will come back soon.
Posted on Monday, September 28th, 2009 at 2:46 AM.
Dylan Darling wrote:
It never hurts to be prepared. Can you imagine showing homes without a Cell Phone? Women in the real estate business need to be especially careful. Always let someone know where you are going with clients.
It never hurts to be prepared. Can you imagine showing homes without a Cell Phone? Women in the real estate business need to be especially careful. Always let someone know where you are going with clients.
Posted on Tuesday, September 29th, 2009 at 10:02 AM.
Susan wrote:
Wow, I LOVE that article! That is a must for real estate agents to read, especially women out there who are really petite. If we don't meet clients, we can't make a living, so we show up. However, if something seems wrong, it usually is. No commission is worth our lives. I've turned down clients just because I got a bad feeling when I spoke with them on the phone.
Wow, I LOVE that article! That is a must for real estate agents to read, especially women out there who are really petite. If we don't meet clients, we can't make a living, so we show up. However, if something seems wrong, it usually is. No commission is worth our lives. I've turned down clients just because I got a bad feeling when I spoke with them on the phone.
Posted on Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 at 7:38 PM.
Teresa Pollock wrote:
@Ashlee - You are completely right. The best thing we can do is be prepared because like you said...you never know. I like the idea about the pepper spray.
@Mike - LOL, these are the risks you run when arming your loved ones!
@Dylan - Good point; I always give my husband an itinerary of my showings, along with a few other precautions we have setup.
@Susan - Thank you for the compliment. It really is a Catch-22. At the end of the day, it's safety first. The best thing we can do is trust our instincts and have a quick exit plan ready, if needed.
@Ashlee - You are completely right. The best thing we can do is be prepared because like you said...you never know. I like the idea about the pepper spray.
@Mike - LOL, these are the risks you run when arming your loved ones!
@Dylan - Good point; I always give my husband an itinerary of my showings, along with a few other precautions we have setup.
@Susan - Thank you for the compliment. It really is a Catch-22. At the end of the day, it's safety first. The best thing we can do is trust our instincts and have a quick exit plan ready, if needed.
Posted on Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 at 8:59 PM.
James Morrison wrote:
Thanks for this valueable tips.I missed the safety training.Wish i could have read this article before.Safety is the major concern.
Thanks for this valueable tips.I missed the safety training.Wish i could have read this article before.Safety is the major concern.
Posted on Friday, October 9th, 2009 at 5:45 AM.
Mike in Fort Worth wrote:
So far so go , she has turn it on me yet. It is on her keys so she has it with her all the time. I have to be nice
So far so go , she has turn it on me yet. It is on her keys so she has it with her all the time. I have to be nice
Posted on Wednesday, October 21st, 2009 at 8:00 PM.
Adelaide Sales Training wrote:
Nice tricks and techniques
I love these points
Thank you
Nice tricks and techniques
I love these points
Thank you
Posted on Friday, October 23rd, 2009 at 1:58 AM.
Chino Hills houses wrote:
Safety sometimes is the last thing we are thinking about when showing or previewing homes. But it should be the first. Great list a must read.
Safety sometimes is the last thing we are thinking about when showing or previewing homes. But it should be the first. Great list a must read.
Posted on Sunday, October 25th, 2009 at 9:23 AM.
Newport Beach Realty wrote:
Nice post. Really real estate professions are so busy in their work that they don’t think about their self. Thanks, you provided such a valuable tips here. If real estate profession will feel safe he can run his business very efficiently and productively. It is one type of training program that you have shared here.
Nice post. Really real estate professions are so busy in their work that they don’t think about their self. Thanks, you provided such a valuable tips here. If real estate profession will feel safe he can run his business very efficiently and productively. It is one type of training program that you have shared here.
Posted on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 12:15 AM.
Pleasant View Utah Homes for Sale wrote:
Having a nice time reading your blog post. As a real estate professionals we must be always ready all the time to protect ourselves, as sometimes real estate jobs is also dangerous.
Having a nice time reading your blog post. As a real estate professionals we must be always ready all the time to protect ourselves, as sometimes real estate jobs is also dangerous.
Posted on Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 at 1:59 PM.
FlexSet wrote:
Really a nice information about protect realtors on the Job. Thanks for sharing useful tips for protect realtors on the job.
Really a nice information about protect realtors on the Job. Thanks for sharing useful tips for protect realtors on the job.
Posted on Saturday, November 14th, 2009 at 7:55 AM.
strand property wrote:
Safety is something that is usually over looked by real estate agents. Like you said, we are so busy planning showings, liasing with clients. I think that all agents really should learn some form of self defence in case they end up in a dangerous situation.
Safety is something that is usually over looked by real estate agents. Like you said, we are so busy planning showings, liasing with clients. I think that all agents really should learn some form of self defence in case they end up in a dangerous situation.
Posted on Wednesday, November 25th, 2009 at 1:22 AM.
Teresa, are you showing properties in the hood? Raleigh can't be that bad of an area, I'm guessing. Hey, come join us in the Manitowoc Real Estate market, many folks never lock their doors. Your post is well taken, and there are some creepers out there.
Posted on Wednesday, September 16th, 2009 at 1:14 PM.