{"id":15357,"date":"2010-09-01T16:31:40","date_gmt":"2010-09-01T20:31:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ewm.com\/internalblog\/?p=15357"},"modified":"2010-09-01T16:31:40","modified_gmt":"2010-09-01T20:31:40","slug":"september-is-realtor-safety-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/?p=15357","title":{"rendered":"September is Realtor Safety Month"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>NAR wants Realtors to be safe all year long however to get the message out that safety is a priority, NAR has designated September as REALTOR\u00ae Safety Month. There are three keys to staying safe on the job:<\/p>\n<p>\u2022Know the dangers you face every day.<br \/>\n\u2022Be aware of your surroundings.<br \/>\n\u2022Empower yourself by being prepared for risky situations.<\/p>\n<p>NAR&#8217;s president encourages you to keep safety awareness a priority all year long. Visit NAR&#8217;s Safety Web site\u2014<a href=\"http:\/\/www.realtor.org\/about_nar_secured\/safety?wt.mc_id=rd0046\">REALTOR.org\/safety<\/a>\u2014and use the resources there as the basis for your safety. You\u2019ll find a growing list of materials, including safety videos and webinars. Remember to be safe.<\/p>\n<p>6 most dangerous situations.<\/p>\n<p><span>1. Entering foreclosed or vacant <strong>homes<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0THE\u00a0RISK:\u00a0<\/strong>Foreclosures may attract unexpected house guests \u2014 such as squatters \u2014 or former home owners refusing to leave. The homes also may be damaged and poorly lit or attract wildlife since it\u2019s abandoned, leading to more potential safety hazards.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<strong>SAFETY\u00a0TIPS<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Inspect the exterior.<\/strong> Walk around the perimeter before you enter the house and make sure the door hasn\u2019t been kicked in and no windows are shattered, suggests Tracey Hawkins, owner of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.safetyandsecuritysource.com\">Safety and Security Source<\/a> in Kansas City, Mo. Call police if you suspect someone is in the property. (Read: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.realtor.org\/rmosales_and_marketing\/articles\/2010\/1009_safety_submissions#Clues\">Be on the Lookout for Clues<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Don\u2019t confront a squatter.<\/strong>If a squatter is in the home, leave immediately, Siciliano says. Call law enforcement once you&#8217;ve left and allow police to deal with any trespassers.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Use the buddy system.<\/strong> Ask a coworker, spouse, friend, or family member to come with you when you show the home.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Let others know where you are.<\/strong> Before you leave, tell your coworkers, family, or friends where you are, whom you are with, and when you expect to return.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Visit during the day.<\/strong>Visiting homes at night makes it more dangerous, Siciliano says. Try to make appointments during daylight hours only.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<span>2. Meeting with a new client for the first time<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<strong>THE\u00a0RISK:\u00a0<\/strong>Meeting with people you don&#8217;t know can put your safety at risk. You don\u2019t know whether this person could potentially be a criminal, stalker, thief, or worse.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<strong>SAFETY\u00a0TIPS<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Meet at the office first.<\/strong> Get them on your territory before you visit any property with them so you can learn more about them and collect personal information about them for your files.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ask for identification.<\/strong>The public is used to having their identification checked, so don\u2019t be reluctant to ask because you\u2019re scared you\u2019ll offend someone, Siciliano says. Tell clients it\u2019s company policy that all clients&#8217; driver\u2019s licenses are photocopied. \u201cThis will significantly reduce your risk because the bad guys don\u2019t want to give you their I.D. or get their picture taken,\u201d Siciliano says.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Have all clients fill out a customer identification form.<\/strong> You can find an example of this at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.realtor.org\/about_nar\/safety\/handouts_resources\">REALTOR.org<\/a>. Click on \u201cProspect Identification Form\u201d under the Office Safety Forms heading. The form asks for car make and license number, contact information, and employer information, and also requests a photocopy of the driver\u2019s license.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Introduce them to a coworker.<\/strong> When you meet them at the office, introduce them to at least one other person in your office. Criminals won\u2019t like that others have seen them for identification purposes, according to tip sheets provided by the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.warealtor.com\/safety\">Washington Real Estate Safety Council<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<span>3. Showing a property alone<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<strong>THE\u00a0RISK:\u00a0<\/strong>You\u2019re touring vacant properties with strangers.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<strong>SAFETY\u00a0TIPS<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Use the buddy system.<\/strong>\u201cThere\u2019s always strength in numbers,\u201d Siciliano says. Whether you bring a coworker, spouse, or even your German shepherd, avoid going alone.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Don\u2019t go into confined places.<\/strong>Avoid basements and attics \u2014 it\u2019s too easy to become trapped. Instead, know the selling points of these rooms and remain in the foyer on the first floor with the front door open as the buyer tours these areas, Siciliano suggests. If you must join them in each room, always stay by the door, leaving doors open so you can flee more easily if necessary, the Washington Real Estate Safety Council suggests.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Walk behind.<\/strong> Let potential buyers take the lead when exploring a home, with you always following behind.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Let others know where you are.<\/strong> Tell them where you are going, when you will be back, and who you\u2019re with. Better yet: Share this information while the client is with you so they know someone else knows where you are.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Have an excuse.<\/strong> If you feel uncomfortable, tell the person your \u201ccell phone or beeper went off and I have to call the office\u201d or \u201canother agent with buyers is on his way,\u201d suggests the Washington Real Estate Safety Council in their tip sheets. (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.realtor.org\/rmosales_and_marketing\/articles\/2010\/1009_safety_submissions#Excuse\">Read what one real estate professional said to get out of an uncomfortable situation<\/a> she experienced at a client\u2019s home.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<span>4. Open houses<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<strong>THE\u00a0RISK:\u00a0<\/strong>You\u2019re inviting the public to a property, which is an invitation to anyone, from thieves to those who might want to harm you.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<strong>SAFETY\u00a0TIPS<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Promote security in your advertisements.<\/strong>When you advertise the open house, note that identification will be required at the front door and video surveillance will be in use. \u201cThe bad guys will be less likely to show up,\u201d Siciliano says.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Partner up.<\/strong> When would-be assailants see two people at the front door, they\u2019ll be less likely to go in. (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.realtor.org\/rmosales_and_marketing\/articles\/2010\/1009_safety_submissions#Partner\">Read one agent\u2019s story how the buddy system protected her<\/a>).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Introduce yourself to neighbors.<\/strong> Let them know you\u2019ll be showing the house so others know that you are there.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Watch for patterns.<\/strong> At an open house, note any patterns in arrivals, particularly near the end of the open house. One common scam: Thieves come near the end of the open house, working as a team. They have \u201cbuyers\u201d distract the agent as others steal valuables in the home. (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.realtor.org\/rmosales_and_marketing\/articles\/2010\/1009_safety_submissions#Distractions\">Read what happened to one sales associate<\/a>.)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Stow away your valuables.<\/strong> Never leave your purse, laptop, or wallet unattended on the counter in plain view. Keep them in the trunk of your car. However, always keep your cell phone on you so you can call for help if you need to. Also, before the open house, tell your clients to put away all of their valuables, prescription drugs, and mail.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<span>5. Flashy personal marketing<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<strong>THE\u00a0RISK:\u00a0<\/strong>Marketing materials that contain photos of yourself may attract the attention of criminals. Police have found criminals circling real estate professionals\u2019 photos in newspapers and marketing materials (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.realtor.org\/rmosales_and_marketing\/articles\/2010\/1009_safety_submissions#Excuse\">Read one agent\u2019s account of this<\/a>.)<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<strong>SAFETY\u00a0TIPS<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Avoid provocative photos in your marketing.<\/strong>Low-cut blouses, full-body photos, and looking over your shoulder in a sexy pose can send the wrong message to criminals. \u201cWhy do you have to have photos anyway? What are you selling?\u201d asks Hawkins, who advises against ever using a photo for business reasons; she uses a caricature. \u201cYou make a living meeting complete strangers in empty houses. They see your photo and if you\u2019re exactly what they\u2019re looking for \u2014 whether that be an older or younger agent, blonde hair, blue eyes, whatever \u2014 they know all it takes is one phone call to meet you in a house. A picture can be dangerous.\u201d<\/li>\n<li><strong>Watch what you wear.<\/strong>Only wear shoes that you can run in. Avoid short skirts, low-cut tops, and expensive jewelry. \u201cPredators don\u2019t have the same boundaries as you do. They look at you like that and say \u2018She\u2019s asking for it,\u2019\u201d Siciliano says.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Protect your personal information.<\/strong> Use your cell phone number and office address in your marketing so it can\u2019t be tracked back to your home address. Never use your home address or home phone number. Also, don\u2019t reveal to your client personal information about your children, where you live, and who you live with \u2014 you can still build a relationship with clients without revealing all of your personal information, recommends the Washington Real Estate Safety Council.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span>6. Transporting strangers in your car<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<strong>THE\u00a0RISK:\u00a0<\/strong>You\u2019re showing houses to potential buyers and chauffeuring them in your car from house to house. Most people don\u2019t pick up hitchhikers, yet real estate professionals put strangers in their car all of the time and don\u2019t think anything of it, Siciliano says. There\u2019s a risk of being robbed, your car being stolen, and you victimized and thrown to the side of the road.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<strong>SAFETY\u00a0TIPS<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Drive separately.<\/strong> Have the client follow you from listing to listing. If you absolutely have to take one car, then you should drive.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Watch where you park.<\/strong> Make sure your car won\u2019t be blocked in and that you park in a place where you\u2019ll be able to get out quickly. Park on the street or the curb, if possible, suggests the Washington Real Estate Safety Council. You\u2019ll attract more attention if you run and scream when fleeing, and it\u2019ll be easier to escape than having to back out of a driveway, experts say.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0\u201cSecurity is all about layers of protection. Open house signage, notation in ads, using the buddy system \u2014 everything that you do is an extra layer of security,\u201d Siciliano says. \u201cThe more you do, the more secure you\u2019ll be. Do nothing and the more vulnerable you\u2019ll be.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NAR wants Realtors to be safe all year long however to get the message out that safety is a priority, NAR has designated September as REALTOR\u00ae Safety Month. There are three keys to staying safe on the job: \u2022Know the dangers you face every day. \u2022Be aware of your surroundings. \u2022Empower yourself by being prepared [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1401,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_expiration-date-status":"","_expiration-date":0,"_expiration-date-type":"","_expiration-date-categories":[],"_expiration-date-options":[]},"categories":[59],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15357"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1401"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=15357"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15357\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=15357"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=15357"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.myewm.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=15357"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}