It’s Realtor® Safety Month, and while problems are rare, Realtors must be constantly prepared for unexpected dangers. In July, a Philadelphia real estate agent was carjacked in an incident that ended with the death of a mother and three children. In the same month, a man pleaded guilty to charges related to the 2010 death of an agent in Youngstown, Ohio.
Meeting clients at homes – particularly new buyers or sellers an agent has not contacted before – carries a level of danger and uncertainty.
Realtor Magazine asked its Facebook followers about their primary means of defense when meeting clients at listing appointments. According to editors, they “learned about a few new apps and modes of protection that could help you stay safe during your daily grind.”
The recommendations
Two apps I like are bSafe and Aspire News. Aspire looks like a news feed, but if you need help, you tap it three times and it sends a notice to your peeps with your location and records everything happening. – Carrie Nichols
I finished my second self-defense class last year. Every agent should do this! Your awareness level is as high as a police officer. You feel and act differently. – Pamela Ryle Ginder
I make sure all doors are unlocked and that I have an escape plan from the backyard. I park my car on the street where it can’t be blocked. I keep the keys to my car and the listing in my pocket with my Kubotan. – Liz Hill
I use Glympse on my phone and send a Glympse to my spouse to keep an eye on it. You can send a link to anyone (they don’t even need to have the app), and they can see your real-time location. They can even see how fast you are traveling. – Derrick Johnson
I always use a Bluetooth, and if I have a funny feeling, I will act like I have someone on the phone. Most of the time, I will have my husband on the phone, and I will leave the line open for a couple minutes so he can hear me. If I feel safe, I hang up on him. He’s used to it. – Debi Wagar-Simmons
I always try to meet my clients in public before I ever take them to see a piece of property – Lee Sprayberry
Pepper spray that looks like lipstick. – Christine McKee
Make calls to your friends before you get into the house so the client hears you. Tell them where you are, leave the door open or call the showing agent just to chat. Let the client walk ahead of you, and click on the car alarm just to test it out. There are some crazies out there. – Luz Jaramillo
Yell “REALTOR!” before going into the residence. – Sabrina Osborn Reesor
I bring a contractor or banker friend with me if I feel uneasy. For evening showings, I text the address to someone before I go and have them check back in half an hour. – Emily Silverness
Source: By Graham Wood, REALTOR® Magazine