REAL ESTATE AGENT SAFETY TIPS
• BRING UP THE REAR •
When showing a home, always have your prospect walk in
front of you. Don’t lead them, but rather, direct them from a
position slightly behind them. You can gesture for them to
go ahead of you and say, for example,
“The master suite is in
the back of the house.”
• TOUCH BASE •
Always let someone know where you are going and when
you will be back. Leave the name and phone number of the
client you are meeting and schedule a time for your office to
call you to check in.
• OPEN HOUSE SAFETY •
An open house isn’t over until it’s over. Don’t assume that
everyone has left the premises at the end of an open house.
Check all of the rooms and the backyard prior to locking
the doors. Be prepared with a self-defense tool to protect
yourself if necessary.
• GOT CELL SERVICE? •
When you’re showing commercial or rural property, thick
walls and/or remote locations might interfere with mobile
phone reception. Check in advance to be sure your phone
gets service in the area in which you are showing the
property.
• OFFICE DISTRESS CODE •
Create a distress code – a secret word or phrase that is not
commonly used but can be worked into any conversation
for cases where you feel that you are in danger. Use this if
the person you are with can overhear the conversation but
you don’t want to alarm or alert them.
Example: “Hi, this is
Jennifer. I’m with Mr. Henderson at the Elm Street listing. Could
you email me the RED FILE?”
• HAVE YOUR EXCUSE READY •
Part of being prepared to deal with a threatening situation is
having an “out”. Prepare a scenario in advance so that you
can leave, or you can encourage someone who makes you
uncomfortable to leave.
Examples: You received a text and you
have to call your office; you need to get a business card out of
your car to leave on the kitchen counter; or another agent with
buyers is on his way.
• POTENTIAL DANGERS •
Take a few seconds when you arrive at your destination to
check if there is any questionable activity in the area. Are
you parked in a well-lit, visible location? Can you be blocked
in the driveway by another vehicle? Are all of the curtains
drawn so you can’t see in?
• PLAN YOUR ESCAPE ROUTES •
Upon entering a property for the first time, check each room
and determine at least two escape routes. Make sure all
deadbolt locks, chains, and/or flip locks are unlocked for
easy access to the outside.
• RELY ON GOOD NEIGHBORS •
Inform a neighbor that you will be hosting an open house
and ask if he or she would keep an eye and ear open for
anything out of the ordinary.
• SCAM ALERT! •
At an open house, be alert to visitor’s comings and goings
especially near the end of showing hours. Police have
reported groups of criminals that target open houses,
showing up en masse near the end of the afternoon. While
several “clients” distract the agent, others go through the
house and steal anything they can quickly take.
*Source: realtor.org/topics/realtor-safety/56-safety-tips-for-realtors
