Ten Realtor Safety Tips you must know!
I don’t want to think of being a realtor as a hazardous occupation. But it is possible. We actually spend a lot of time with strangers. We agree to meet with strangers in places we are unfamiliar with, often at times when most people are at work, asleep, or otherwise inactive.
So, how do we stay safe while still earning a living? How can we remain cautious without alienating our customers?
1. Make sure that someone else is aware of your schedule
This is most likely the most crucial safety tip. Because no one knows where we’re supposed to be, real estate agents are particularly vulnerable. We could be gone for the entire day and no one would notice; it’s not like we’re supposed to return to the office after lunch.
Maintain a real estate schedule in Google Calendar and share it with team members, colleagues, friends, and family. Those closest to you can’t tell if you’re missing unless they know you’re missing — and not just at an oddly scheduled open house.
“Intuition is always right. It is always in response to something. It always has your best interest at heart.”
2. Follow Your Inner Gut
If you think about it, you probably understand why you believe your safety has been jeopardized. Perhaps the buyer was adamant about finding out if you’d be alone. They may have appeared aggressive, impatient, or short with you.
If you trust your instincts in these situations, the worst-case scenario is that you are slightly inconvenienced. You may need to postpone seeing a client or simply forego a single sale. However, if you ignore it, you run the risk of putting yourself in real danger.
3. Have an Emergency Button in Your Pocket
Having an emergency button app is a great idea, especially if you work alone a lot. A real estate professional should not have to be concerned at all. However, if you suspect that you are being followed or that someone else is in the house, you can quickly call for assistance.
Safety apps can also help you find your way if you end up in an unexpected location. GPS tracking is available in many safety apps. That’s useful because real estate agents visit so many places that it’s easy to get confused when you’re panicked or time is of the essence.
4. Watch for Unusual Behaviors
There are times when there is nothing you can do. However, many people mention that they noticed something unusual about a potential client or the situation before everything went wrong. They were surprised to find an unexpected door open. Someone they didn’t expect to see was present.
According to safety protocols, you should leave if you notice anything unusual. It could be nothing at all. However, it could be anything.
5. Guard Your Personal Information
Though you must maintain an online presence, you must be cautious with your personal information. Don’t post your entire schedule and where you’ll be online; that just allows people to follow you. Offline, try to be more circumspect about the details of your life you share.
It happens quickly, which is one of the reasons why real estate agent safety can be so difficult to ensure. You show a young couple a condo and mention casually that your child attends that school district. You’ve now revealed not only where your child goes to school, but also where you’re likely to be at the start and end of each day.
6. Do a Background Check
Consider conducting a quick background check on your customers. A client could be someone you’ll be working with for three months or more. It’s worthwhile to learn more about them. Background checks can now be performed online in minutes and for as little as a few dollars.
You should inform clients that you will conduct a background check on them for agent safety. You can even request a similar service from your real estate broker. If a home buyer refuses to have a background check performed on them, they may be concealing something.
7. Never Show Up Unexpected
As an agent, you must visit properties frequently. And occasionally, you may go to a vacant property only to discover that it is not vacant. You may visit a rental property and fail to notice that the renter is still present. You may schedule property showings only to learn that the property has been foreclosed on.
Agents have encountered issues when walking into occupied properties without realizing that someone was already present. Always book ahead of time and make your presence known.
8. Keep an Eye on Your Escape Route
Keep an eye on the door whenever you go to a showing, open house, or anything else. You never know when something will become hostile.
Allow them to view the house while you linger by the door, especially during one-on-one showings. Allowing them to get between you and the door means you won’t be able to escape.
9. Watch out Rural Areas
Rural areas are especially dangerous. You might not be able to return to civilization right away. If you frequently work in rural areas, you should consider joining a realtor safety network or bringing another agent with you. Install a safety app that can contact your emergency contacts.
Purchase a cellphone plan that provides coverage wherever you go. Don’t go out at night in the country. Leave if you see people you didn’t expect to see.
10. Be prepared All the time
The attack can come on any side and you have to be ready for it. The real state is not that safe if you deal in a bad neighborhood. I would say, dont deal with a house that can cause you harm, no matter how good the deal is.
Clap if you like and make sure you follow these to make yourself safe out there.
