Safety Tips for Real Estate Agents
General
First and foremost, I highly recommend taking a good self-defense course or doing a seminar. It’s good to know how to defend yourself enough to get away should any situation happen. The primary goal should be to get out of a situation. Choose flight over fight.
Always be aware of your surroundings. Do a 360 scan wherever you are and whoever you’re with. Don’t stand or walk around with your nose in your phone.
Keep personal details private. It’s ok to be friendly but stay private. Don’t share information with clients such as where you live, what you’re plans are for after work or other similar details.
Plan ahead with escape routes. When you’re scanning an area just be aware of where the doors and other exits are, just in case.
While working with Buyers
Get their actual information. Either from a buyer’s consultation at the office where you make a photocopy of their ID or from a lender who’s thoroughly vetted them for their pre-approval.
Show homes when it’s light out or bring a buddy with you to showings. A friend or another agent works just fine for this purpose.
Check-in with someone. Let another agent, a friend or a spouse know that you’re going to show homes to a new buyer and what time you expect to be done. Let them know that you’ll contact them when you’re done and if they don’t hear from you they should reach out and contact the police. Forward what homes you’ll be looking at to your safe call.
When showing a home always have the buyer walking in front of you. As soon as you unlock the door wave your arm to let them in to look around. Spend the showing time following them, not with them behind you.
Drive your own car, by yourself to showings.
Open Houses
Don’t put your photo on open house signs to show predators exactly who’s alone in a house in that neighborhood.
If you’re able to try to have a lender partner or other vendor partner hold the open house with you so that you’re not alone and are better able to keep an eye on guests that may want to steal. This a great value add that your vendors can add to your business since they ask for referrals. Keeping you company occasionally a month isn’t too much to ask. Rotate through your vendors so you’re not straining relations with them.
Have a friend or another agent act as your safe call. Let them know that you’ll contact them when you start the open house and when you finish, and let them know what time to expect your calls or texts.
While Working with Sellers
Let your sellers know that they should not show their home to anyone that just stops by to look without making an appointment through the official route. Not every agent or potential buyer is who they say they are, and if they are legitimate they can set an appointment through whatever system you use.
Don’t share that a home is vacant in your public listing remarks.
Stay vigilant and follow your gut feelings. Half of our job is walking into vacant homes with people that are oftentimes strangers. The vast majority of people are legitimate and honest, but one bad person can coast agents their life. We’ve seen this way too many times. It’s up to us to do the best we can to keep ourselves safe and to help our friends and colleagues stay safe as well. Stay safe and happy house hunting!