To all my Realtor Friends, I got this email today from Cheryl Watterson - Self Defense with an Attitude and she has some very good safety information that we all need to check out on carjacking. As we go out into our daily real estate business, we must stay very aware of what is going on and aware of our surroundings. One of the things I started doing, when I go out to make marketing calls, is to lock the car door immediately once I got into my car and never, ever just sit there making notes or whatever. I start driving right away. You never know if someone will come up and tap on your window and then things could go wrong, right in the Kroger parking lot. Read on and please, share with me and Cheryl, your thoughts on this article, I think it is fabulous and I definitely will take heed of all the information she has presented to us.

From: cwatterso@comcast.net [mailto:cwatterso@comcast.net]
Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2008 6:59 PM
To: beth@realtorsafety911.com
Subject: Carjacking Safety Tips-Self-Defense with an Attitude

Beth, you will be getting this email but I wanted to send it to let you know this is an important criminal problem in a lot of areas.  With our changing economy, more and more people are going to be out of work and some may be desperate enough to rob or carjack individuals.  Both men and women need to be aware and alert 24/7 when they are on the road and follow the carjacking tips. Read the rest of this entry »

Realtor® Safety Tips That Could Save Your Life!

Courtesy of Virginia Peninsula Association of Realtors

Don’t be a crime victim! Each year we see an increase in criminal acts against REALTORS®.Please exercise caution when dealing with any prospective purchaser who is a stranger to you. It is not unreasonable to request an I.D. and employment information prior to any showings. Never, never, never meet a purchaser by yourself, after only talking to them on the phone. Insist that they meet you at your office or take a fellow REALTOR® with you.Be reminded of the following safety tips compiled by NAR’s Public Policy Affairs Group:

• Be alert. When you feel uncomfortable in a situation, get out.
• Dress conservatively. Don’t wear expensive-looking jewelry.
• Don’t sit an open house alone. Never show property alone at night, and never advertise property as vacant.
• Don’t list your home phone number on your business card. Buy a voice pager. Use a cellular phone if you must sit a property that doesn’t have a phone. Call your office every hour.
• Never meet a prospect based on only a phone call. Always take your own car when showing a property. Whenever you leave your car, lock it.
• Let potential buyers explore areas of a home on their own, with you following behind. Avoid going into the basement or confined areas with a prospect.
• Let your office know where and with whom your appointments will be.
• Always meet first-time clients at your office. Ask them to show identification. If they question you, state it is company policy.
• Find out as much as you can about prospects, such as where they world what they do and how much they earn. Ask questions like these and be a good listener:

“Who other than yourself will be seeing the property?”“At what number can I call you back to confirm the appointment?”“Are you working with an agent?”“Where do you reside currently?”“How soon would you like to move?”

• Keep on file at your real estate office, in a place accessible by others, your photograph; car model and license number; drivers license number; whom to contact in cases of emergency; any important medical information.
• Report any suspicious experiences to the police right away.
• Develop a coded distress signal with your office and your family. This way, you can call the office or home with a message that would appear harmless to a prospect, but would alert others that something is wrong and you need help.
• You may want to let a prospect know that someone else might be showing up at the property at any time. This might discourage a crime.
• If you are suspicious, trust your instincts. Keep yourself between the prospect and the door.
• Carry a whistle or shriek alarm and always keep it with you in an easily accessible place.

Most importantly: Remember that no sale is worth risking your life!

Remember, Your Personal Safety Is Up To YOU!

Safety tips you can offer your sellers

-Never open the door to anyone unless an appointment was scheduled first or unless they use their lockbox key (ie a woman was approached by a man who claimed to be an agent, she let him in to preview her home and he raped her)

-Keep valuables locked up or in a secure place, including prescription drugs (’prospective’ buyers will go through a seller’s medicine cabinets and drawers)

-Wear clothing with pockets so you can always have your keys with you

-Never carry large amounts of cash or credit cards

-After an open house or standard showing, make sure all doors and windows are locked as thieves will use open houses to look for valuables and possible points of entry, then return after the agent leaves

Just a couple of safety tips for your seller which they probably already know or do but when you mention them to your sellers, they will appreciate you for it.

Remember, Your Personal Safety Is Up To YOU! and you can help your sellers too

Courtesy of the Georgia Association of Realtors

Columbus REALTORS® Suffer Tragic Loss
10/01/2008

On Monday, Sept. 29, a REALTOR® from Columbus was murdered by a client in her office. Herta Bailey, 70, was found dead in the trunk of her car just a few blocks from her office on Tuesday, Sept. 30. On Monday, Bailey was meeting with one of her tenants at the office to discuss payment arrangements with her client. It is speculated that on Monday, Bailey had served her client with eviction papers. It is unknown whether or not her client had an appointment to meet with her or if he just stopped in after seeing her in the office. Police are investigating and further details will be posted.

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Realtors:

You never know, in the business that you’re in, what can happen…but…please take proper procedures. Would you go to a property, knowing that the situation could become violent, without taking some kind of ‘back up’? Your husband, spouse, whomever? Would you meet someone in your office after hours, alone, knowing you were going to have to present eviction papers to them?  Why would you go out and do a job for someone else, that is a very ‘demanding’ job, that some others would not ever consider doing, and you are thinking about going out and doing that job by yourself!!! Wake Up! These are the things we talk about here on RealtorSafety911…Safety!!! Think about it…You have a tenant, whom has not paid the rent in several months…of course, you are the ‘property manager’ and in order to get paid, you have to get the tenant to pay, but if the tenant does not pay, then you, as the property manager, have to evict them. Now they are mad at you, because you have come to them to collect the rent or evict them, and they are really mad. Because you are alone, and they are mad at you for doing you job, they feel they have to do something…

do not do your job alone…Your Personal Safety Is Up To YOU!

Courtesy of  Cheryl Watterson with Self Defense with an Attitude

Realtors-How Prepared Are You For The Unexpected Predator Visiting Your Open House?

   She looks so happy go-lucky without a care in the world!  What do you think she would do if confronted by a prospect who turns out to be a violent perpetrator??     

Read the rest of this entry »

Below are some safety tips from some of my Realtor friends. I hope that you can get a little bit of information and use it in your own business.

Hi Beth, one thing I almost always do is take my wallet out of my purse and leave it in my locked car when I’m doing an open house. I also check out prospective clients by doing an internet search on their name, just in case there’s something I need to know about them. Usually, when I enter a house to preview it, I lock the front door behind me so that no one can follow me in. I don’t worry about safety too much, but I just try to be aware of my surroundings. Julia

Hi, I just found your blog and I think it is great what you are doing. I am always giving my friends little lectures on safety and have gotten in some bad situations myself. I actually use a mobile blog and send photos and messages to it so that people know where I am because I work alone and forget to tell anyone where I am. Our jobs are dangerous and we do some stupid things. I am going to put your blog on a couple of my bog roles and like I said I am happy you are doing it.

Hi Beth - You know what I do? Sadly it’s not very good but I really go with my gut. 24 years and that is what I rely on.
That said I always make sure my back is to the door and that I am not boxed in. The customers go in 1st, they go down the stairs 1st and my back is always to the door…so that I can escape.
I also always make sure my car is not blocked and that I have my keys in my hand and not in my purse. I also always close all my windows and sunroof when parked at a showing that way if I need to make a run for it I won’t have to struggle to lock the door and close the windows at the same time.
If meeting someone for the 1st time at a property I tell them that another showing has been scheduled and that I just noticed the other brokers car driving by but that they probably won’t come till we leave but just in case they pull up not to be alarmed.
Beth, my gut is what I depend on…if it does not feel right I am not going to do it. The money is simply not worth it to me.

Hope this helps.

Moni

Hi Beth: I sold real estate for 7 years and right when I got my license, there was an agent who was kidnapped and killed. I almost did not continue with my real estate career, I was pretty scared. Back in 1995, my office did not provide much training or information on safety for us. I got a stun gun (which I never had to use, thank you Lord), and kept it in the side pocket of the door of my car. There is a time when I had a listing presentation on a piece of property way out in the country. I took my 7 year old son. When we got there to meet the seller at his 2nd home, 2 guys came out of the house to meet us. I got that ‘gut’ feeling andshould have left but you know what I did? Nothing. Again, thank God nothing happened, but it could have. We have got to listen to our ‘gut’ feelings. Its better to feel silly later on and reschedule the listing or heaven forbid, lose the listing altogether, but what if something bad had happened? My son would have been involved in it too. All I can say is, follow your company procedures and if you get that ‘gut’ feeling, get out of the situation. Thanks for allowing me to give my 2 cents worth. Julie

Do you have some good safety tips or information to share that you use in your day to day real estate business? If so, leave a comment. So many others would love to know what they can do that will help keep them safe while conducting their real estate business.

Remember, Your Personal Safety Is Up To YOU!

Courtesy of www.realtor.org
About REALTOR® Safety Week

The safety of our more than 1.2 million members is always a top priority for NAR. We are committed to helping our members stay safe while on the job, at home, and on the road. To raise awareness about this important issue, September 14–20, 2008 has been officially designated as the fifth annual REALTOR® Safety Week.

Find a wide variety of safety tips, resources, and products from NAR specifically for association executives, brokers, and REALTORS®. Visit REALTOR® Magazine Online for a collection of safety features, an interactive safety quiz, and other information.

New for 2008
View the NAR safety video, “Safety Strategies For You and Your Clients,” to see these safety tips in action.

Learn about the online Safety Course from REALTOR® University.

Materials for your safety campaign or training include training instructions and talking points, handouts, graphics, customizable articles, and valuable tips to help members stay safe on the job, on the road, and at home.

Realtor Safety

Courtesy of the http://www.tucsonaz.gov

Yes, it can happen to you. You can be robbed, raped or killed while trying to make a sale - and the less cautious you are, the more vulnerable you become. If you are in this business here are some safety tips to follow:

• Never meet a strange buyer alone at any property. It is always best to meet the prospective buyer at your office. Consider it a danger signal if he or she refuses. Request to see I.D.
• Never go in the client’s vehicle. It is always best to take separate vehicles. If you use your vehicle, put your purse and briefcase in the trunk.
• Never let a client get between you and the doorway - leave yourself an escape route.
• If you have any suspicions or uneasiness about a buyer, take another sales agent with you.
• Always inform your office where you are going and with whom you’ll be. Make sure the person you are going with knows you’ve given this information to the office.
• Always make sure the office keeps information on your automobile, including make, model, color, and license plate number.
• Always be aware of the neighborhood in which you are showing.
• Always have someone else sit with you at an open house. If you must do it alone, stay near an exit while the prospect goes through the house. Have the owner put all valuables away. Check in with your office every hour. If you become suspicious, advise the client that your partner went to get coffee/lunch/is just next door and will be back any minute.
• Never put your photo in the paper, on business cards, or on your “for sale” signs.

Read the rest of this entry »

email2friend

Real Estate Agent’s Guide to Choosing and Using Your Safety Tools Properly

Courtesy of Tracey Hawkins of www.safetyandsecuritysource.com

As a former agent and currently a safety trainer specializing in agents, I always include education on “safety tools.”

I teach realtors how to be aware, how to screen clients, creating a safety plan, how to host a safe open house, safe showing techniques, etc., but my inclusion of safety tool training is just as important.

Many agents choose to carry a defense spray. This is the most popular choice. Know that all sprays are not created equally. Know what you are carrying. Know the difference between pepper spray, mace and tear gas. Know what they will and won’t do.

For Example - Read the rest of this entry »