This information is from a previous post but the information is so good, I wanted to post it again!
The 10-Second Rule
One of the most common reasons that people find themselves in dangerous situations is that they were not paying attention. Take a few precious seconds during the course of your day to assess your surroundings.
Take 2 seconds when you arrive at your destination. Is there any questionable activity in the area?
Are you parked in a well-lit, visible location?
Can you be blocked in the driveway by a prospect’s vehicle?
Take 2 seconds after you step out of your car. Are there suspicious people around?
Do you know exactly where you’re going?
Take 2 seconds as you walk towards your destination. Are people coming and going or is the area unusually quiet?
Do you observe any obstacles or hiding places in the parking lot or along the street?
Is anyone loitering in the area?
Take 2 seconds at the door. Do you have an uneasy feeling as you’re walking in?
Is someone following you in?
Take 2 seconds as soon as you enter your destination. Does anything seem out of place?
Is anyone present who shouldn’t be there or who isn’t expected?
Safety in Just 10 Seconds
It takes just 10 seconds to scope out your surroundings and spot and avoid danger. Make this “ten-second scan” a habit in your everyday work as a REALTOR. ® Then share it with someone else.
I heard of this site while watching tv last night and got on their website. We should be so proud of our military and support them in any way we can. We are here because of them.
America Supports You - Our Military Men and Women
America Supports You is a Department of Defense program that provides opportunities for citizens to show their support for the US Armed Forces. The program was launched in 2004 in an effort to highlight citizen support for our military men and women and communicate that support to the members of our Armed Forces at home and abroad.
America Supports You connects individuals, organizations and companies to hundreds of home front groups offering a variety of support to the military community.
The program also connects military service members and their families to home front groups that provide assistance.
The America Supports You website, www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil, provides a one-stop location for citizens and service members to connect with hundreds organizations eager to help.
America Supports You homefront groups show support in many ways including writing letters and e-mails, sending care packages, offering scholarships and helping the wounded when they return home. Dozens of corporations, recognized on the website, are also America Supports You supporters.
Check out this site, see what you can do, I know I will! Beth
On Saturday, I had a meeting with a Personal Safety and Security Professional who explained to me a seminar he is putting on in the Atlanta area in August. It is a Safety and Security training seminar in the actual preparation and implementation process, for Realtors, to make you fully capable of creating a mental and physical Proactive Survival Action Plan.
A survey conducted by the National Association of Realtors Marketing Research Department revealed the following disturbing statistics:
*of more than 4300 Realtors who responded; more than 1/2 reported experiencing safety concerns and incidents while in the field
*1 in 4 Realtors personally experienced safety related or harassing situations while conducting their professional duties
*Nearly 40% recounted knowledge of other Realtors who have experienced safety related ‘uncomfortable circumstances’ while working
*The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has placed Realtor Safety among its top areas of concern. To the criminal minded, you are the perfect target for the easy ’set up’. Read the rest of this entry »
#10 - If you are showing several properties, phone your office occasionally to check in, often, just to let them know that all is okay. If you’re suspicious or fearful of someone, use these calls as a reason to return to the office immediately – (BE CREATIVE)
#9 - Take a self defense course, through your local police department, private business or individual or through your local board of realtors. Knowing how to defend yourself - using whatever self-protection devise you have, this will ultimately save your life, if need be
#8 - Drive separate cars, when possible, if not, make sure that you drive But never let yourself get blocked in by another vehicle(s)
#7 - Limit the amount of personal information that you share about yourself to your client, until you get to know them a little better, (because you do want them to ‘know you, like you and trust you’) but then be selective
#6 - Ask a friend to join you when showing property with a client that makes you feel uneasy. Pre-plan your escape routes from each level of a home, before you show it
#5 - Have and Be Prepared to Use Safety Products – carry a personal alarm, pepper spray, etc
#4 - Always carry your cell phone, charged and programmed to 911 on speed dial. Use it when danger first appears. Do not wait
#3 - Always let your office know where you are, your schedule and who you are meeting when going to a property
#2 - Meet the prospective client at your office for the first time; never ever at a vacant property, and ask them to fill out the client identification form. Verify the client’s identity, photocopy driver’s license, obtain the car make and license number
And Beth’s # 1 Realtor Safety Tip…
#1 - Pay attention to your intuition - Never put yourself at risk to avoid social awkwardness. You have every right to be cautious
Remember, Your Personal Safety Depends On YOU!
When something bad happens in the real estate community, everyone tightens up on their personal safety and security. When things are going well, we stop thinking about it. You have got to be thinking and planning for your Personal Safety and Security ALL THE TIME! Make it part of your day to day business planning.
As a realtor, when you are out previewing homes or you have your clients with you, you must always be aware and on guard when going into the homes. The best thing to do when you arrive at the property is to look around to see if there are cars in the driveway or in front of the home. That could mean the seller is home and you wouldn’t want to walk in on them unexpectedly. Check to see if the door is unlocked. Ring the doorbell - wait a few seconds, then ring the doorbell again. If no one answers, open the door and show the property.
Once you get into the home, you may want to call out again. You would hate to walk in on someone getting out of the shower…
One of our good referral agents, Steve Matthews of Maximum One Realty Greater Atlanta, shows us what he does when he arrives at a property and then once he’s inside. Watch the videos below-
Thanks Steve for your realtor tips, we truly appreciate them. For more information on properties in the Atlanta area, contact Steve at
Steve Matthews
Maximum One Realty Greater Atlanta
Cell: 404.786.2184
Fax: 404.551.5471 www.eSignatureHome.com
SOLD@eSignatureHome.com
I want to say Happy Father’s Day to my own dad. He lives in Indiana and I won’t be able to actually see him and hug him today but I definitely will call and talk with him and let him know how much I love him!
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY DAD!!!
Happy Father’s Day to all fathers out there. I wish you the best day and the most fulfilled day with your kids. Enjoy your dad today and enjoy being a dad today, Its All About You!!!
As a real estate professional, your primary job is meeting with complete strangers - in your day to day activities; you’re faced with potentially risky situations! Like every segment of your business, you need to consider your personal safety as the number one factor in your success. Just a little pre-planning and upfront knowledge will help you stay ahead of the dangers.
Another wonderful realtor, Leslie Spennato of Prudential Georgia Realty, Woodstock, Georgia, has taken the time to share with us her realtor safety tips; tips that she uses in her day to day showing and selling of real estate.
In our day to day lives, we get so busy that we tend to be a little lax on our own personal safety & security. Always be aware of what is going on around you and as they always say, trust your gut feelings, it could save your life.
While it is recommended that every Realtor should take a basic self-defense course, the primary goal in any threatening situation is to escape from immediate danger and call for help.
Consider these tips in helping your clients protect themselves against crime:
Remind clients who are selling their house or condominium that strangers will be walking through their home. Tell them to put any valuables in a safe, secure place. This includes items they might not initially think would attract interest:
Recently, the San Diego Police Department reported that an individual was going through medicine cabinets at open houses and stealing the owners’ prescription drugs. Suggest that they hide any such items.
*Don’t leave your own briefcase, purse, laptop or cell phone in view. (You should have that phone on your person at all times anyway.) Wear clothing with pockets so that you can always have your car keys with you as well, and never carry
large amounts of cash or credit cards.
*At an open house, be alert to the pattern of visitors’ arrivals, especially near the end of showing hours. In some areas, group of thieves will show up together near the end of the open house and, while a string of “potential buyers” distracts
the REALTOR®, the rest of the group walks through the house, stealing any valuables they come across.
*Finally, when you leave a client’s property, whether after an open house or a standard showing, make sure that all doors and windows are locked. Thieves commonly use open houses to scout for valuables and possible points of entry,
then return after the agent leaves.
*Let your clients know that you will take all of the above safety precautions, but that when they return home, they should immediately verify that all doors are locked and all valuables accounted for.
If you’re a real estate professional, your primary job is meeting with complete strangers – showing homes, holding open houses, and even being out late at night, walking to your car…all in the hopes that you secure a new client that you sell a home or property to. You’re faced with potentially risky situations almost every day. Because of the very nature of your job…..your safety should be a main priority for you.
There are crazy predators who seek out female realtors – not really caring who you are so long as you are a female. Then there are those crazies who seek out realtors who are high visibility agents. These are the million dollar agents who are on the cover of magazines, on the billboards, in the newspapers – their name is highly recognizable.
These predators see million dollar agents and assume you must be earning that full amount for yourself. There have been many realtors who have been followed to their homes by such predators and attacked in their own home. Some agents have been stalked and had their homes burglarized. Consider your safety and the safety of your home and family Priority Number 1.
First and foremost, be sure you follow all of the Safety Rules for your business:
1. Never have a first meeting with a customer at a property. Always meet customers in the office, where you can introduce them to the broker, manager or other colleagues. If you must, meet them at a public place to introduce yourself and conduct a buyer interview.
2. Leave an itinerary with the office. Let someone know what houses you will be viewing—and be sure the customer knows there is a schedule you’ll be following.
3. Carry a cell phone. Stay in contact with someone while you’re out in the field.
4. Don’t wear flashy jewelry or carry several credit cards. Carry only a small amount of cash or one credit card, and have a key ring with just your car key and lockbox key on it.
5. Use your own car. Be in control of the presentation and be the guide. If a customer wants to drive, have him or her follow you. And don’t park where you can be blocked in.
6. Always enter through the front door. If you have to use a side door, have the customers wait at the front door and let them in that way.
7. Inside the house, stay between the customer and an exit. Don’t ever walk into a room first. It’s safer and a better experience for the customer.
8. Have a secret code. Create a code word or phrase to let your colleagues know that you’re in need of help. Then, if you feel threatened, you could call your office and say, “Could you please call Mr. CODEWORD to cancel my appointment?” This let’s the office know that you need help without giving any indication to the listener.
9. Carry pepper spray, if it’s legal in your area. This may be used for defense from animals, snakes or any predators and may give you time to get to safety.
Cheryl has some great information and safety tips. Some we have gone over several times. The only way to know how you will react to a situation, is to go over the situation time and time again. You cannot let your guard down, you have got to know how you are going to react when a situation comes up!
The next thing to think about is a self defense course. Not a ‘martial arts’ class but a course that teaches you how to react to certain situations. How to get out of a bad situation alive. Because as we know - Your Personal Safety Is Up To YOU!!!
Below is a comment from a realtor and he mentions showing or previewing vacant homes; how a predator could be waiting there for you to show up. You have got to be careful. You could be in a upscale neighborhood and something bad could happen. As I mentioned earlier, you must follow procedures and stay in touch with your office, family and/or friends. If you are going to preview homes for a client, especially vacant homes, take someone with you. Let others know where you are going and how long you should be gone. Remember, Your Personal Safety Is Up To YOU!
Thanks for stopping by my site the other day, it lead me to your wonderful site! How refreshing to find someone dedicated to getting the word out about Realtor safety.
Another danger with vacant homes comes from possible predators lying and waiting for you in a house that you may preview or bring a client to.
I had a situation in Baltimore while showing vacant row homes to an investor. When we entered the home we saw a cell phone on the kitchen counter. Turns out, someone was hiding under the kitchen sink. We got out of their quick.
A good article would be about how Listing Agents can keep their vacant properties safer.
We hate to think about it, but as a real estate professional, bad things can happen to good people. You must stay on guard at all times. Follow the safety procedures your office provides. Follow your ‘gut’ reaction to someone that you meet whom you are planning to work with. If it sounds too good to be true, it might be! No sale is worth your life.
Women are normally the main target because we are so trusting but men are victims also. Try to always know what you would do in a ’situation’. Review the scenario in your mind. Know what you would do or what you would say if you were put in a particular situation. No one wants to think about what could happen, but if you don’t think about it, and if it does happen, you will not prepared. The whole idea is to be mentally prepared to do what needs to be done to make sure you bring yourself to safety, by whatever means.
Below are some incidences that have happened to real estate agents and today, family and friends are still re-living what went on. Realtors have a wonderful job and most of the time, work with wonderful clients, but there is that dark side and by being in this profession, it is something that has to be dealt with. Hopefully, you will never have to deal with any kind of controversy in your real estate career, but if it happens, will you know what to do? Read the rest of this entry »
When you are working in a subdivison, you have people coming in to preview properties all the time. To be safe, you need to get them to register with you and get additional information about the client such as a copy of their drivers license and also, get their car tag information. You should immediately fax that information to your office, so they are aware of who you are showing homes to. This is an added safety measure and a good thing for your office to have, heaven forbid, if anything should happen. If they are a reputable client, they will understand your ‘company’s’ procedure on your safety.
Check out this video from Debbie Jones, with E. S. Johnson Real Estate about the safety things she and her agents do while in their subdivison:
If you have good, safety tips to share, please respond to beth @ realtorsafety911.com and I’ll be happy to share your tips on safety along with your information.
As a real estate professional, you are faced with potentially risky situations every day. Meeting new clients, showing homes, and even walking to your car at night can be dangerous. It is essential that you make safe decisions and know how to react when confronted with trouble.
There are many professions that are considered “risky” professions, but none (other than our great soldiers) are as risky as the real estate profession. There are sales professions that I would also consider risky – such as in-home sales – but the Real Estate Profession over the last 20 years has been marked with sexual assaults, brutal physical attacks, and murders. Enough so that the National Association of Realtors (NAR) has placed Realtor Safety among its’ top priorities.
Let’s consider the Real Estate Profession:
• The Real Estate Profession is made up of more than 60+% women who for the most part are trusting individuals.
• Real estate professionals are independent business agents and tend to work and meet clients alone. Many agents occasionally go into an office but primarily work from home. They come and go without others always knowing their whereabouts.
Real Estate agents advertise in many venues – billboards, magazines, newspapers, flyers, and corner benches – and usually have their picture and phone numbers out there for everyone to see and know how to contact them.
• Many real estate agents still use “old” glamour shot photos dating back 5-10 years or more on their business cards and advertising material. Back then these photos were more on the glamorous/sexy side and are probably not the best photos to use today. Displaying a professional business photo is the type of photo to use – indicating a more professional image.
• Many realtors are very busy and have become complacent about their personal security and safety. Sometimes without giving a second thought they quickly accept an invitation to meet a prospective client without following the proper safety precautions and guidelines.
With the real estate market so volitale – agents are taking prospects who are looking to buy a home without doing the proper background check. Follow the prescribed real estate safety guidelines before meeting with new clients. Criminals can be very savvy. They may consider this criminal activity “their” business and think that real estate agents are an easy target. While the real estate professional is trusting and thinks the prospect is a potential buyer, he on the other hand may be contemplating his next criminal move.
This is why it pays for real estate professionals to follow personal safety precautions. No potential sale is worth your life and losing your life could happen if you become lax and complacent about safety.
Taking a Realtor Personal Safety Awareness Class can reiterate safety issues and concerns that you already know but have pushed aside as you go about your daily life. Sometimes little reminders will make us stop and say “ah-ha” I knew that – but why haven’t I been doing it? If we haven’t had a realtor safety issue that has affected our life or anyone around us – the tendency is to think bad things aren’t going to happen to us.
It’s at that very moment of letting your guard down that the unexpected happens. That is why it is important to do a few of the following things that can help you stay safe on your job.
1. Take a realtor security & safety awareness class. Most classes last an hour or so and can remind you of things you already know but have momentarily forgotten.
2. Review the Safety Rules & Guidelines that are put out by the National Association of Realtors.
3. Take a self-defense class so you will know what to do in an attack or assault situation. The knowledge and awareness of how you can protect yourself will give you a great deal of empowerment. It’s awesome. Most classes last anywhere from 4-6 weeks and usually last 1-2 hours. This is a small amount of time to devote to something that could ultimately save your life.
4. Carry a personal protection device like a C2 Taser, Pepper Spray, Mace Spray/Gun, Personal Alarm or Stun Gun. These are non-lethal devices that are meant to take down or throw off an attacker long enough for you to get away to safety.
My hope is that you are truly successful in your business. Like every segment of your business, you need to consider your personal safety as the number one factor in your success. If you don’t and you let your guard down, that’s when you could potentially become a victim of some real estate predator.
Real estate professionals, who are aware of basic safety guidelines, can improve their chances of not becoming a victim and keep their daily business activities fun, profitable and safe!
Check out this video also. You need to always be aware and on guard and ready to do what needs to be done, at a moments notice. Don’t be caught unprepared!
With so much going on in our world today, we have to be on-guard all the time. Are you ready for any kind of situation that might come your way? You may never get into a situation where you have to think very fast and make split-second decisions, but if you had to, would you know what to do?
Watch this video and then think about what you might do to make these kind of decisions easier to make. Have you thought about a self defense class? There are many types of classes and there may be one right in your area!
Always keep a mobile phone at your side; program emergency numbers into speed dial.
Meet all new clients at your office; verify their identity.
Whenever possible, avoid being at the office alone.
Take a personal safety course.
Install deadbolts with full one-inch bolts on all entry doors to your home and the door to your home office.
Make sure you know your route to and from each property you visit.
When you’re alone getting into your car, the first thing you should do is lock the door.
Just a little pre-planning and upfront knowledge will help you stay ahead of the dangers. We are not saying that all customers are a danger, we are just making sure we are knowledgeable of any and all dangers that could be out there.
There are several things agents can do to protect themselves:
* Have a prospective buyer meet you in your office, NOT AT THE PROPERTY, preferably with co-workers present and NOT near closing time. Obtain identification from the buyer in the form of a drivers license and their vehicle license number. Leave this information with a responsible person in your office and advise them where you are going.
* If possible, have someone go with you to the showing and have them wait in the car with a cell phone. The best scenario is to go to the showing in two different cars, but if this is not possible, try to be the driver. This will give you somewhat of an advantage.
* Always have the person enter the residence or rooms in front of you. Never put your back to the person or allow yourself to be cornered.
* Have area police phone number on speed dial on your cell phone.
* DO NOT be lulled into a false sense of security by a female “buyer”. There are more and more cases of women being used to set up robberies and even rape.
* Always follow your gut feelings. If something doesn’t feel right, pass on it.
* When alone in your office at night be sure the doors are locked, preferably with deadbolts, have the blinds drawn and DO NOT open the door to anyone you do not know well enough to trust.
* One very important thing is to have your mind conditioned and ready to react in case of emergency. Think about all the vulnerable positions you may find yourself in and think about what you would do if someone tried to attack you. Play the scenario over and over in your mind so that if it were to ever occur you would react automatically and quickly and not freeze or panic.
* Carry a self defense product with you, have it ready, and know how to use it without hesitation.
At the very least every realtor should carry pepper spray. A pepper spray pen could be carried very inconspicuously and would be at the ready should the need arise. The use of this product should allow the realtor to escape from the predator without confrontation. In case the attacker gets within close range maybe a C2 Taser stun gun/taser would be a good choice. The Pretender 950,000 volt cell phone stun gun looks like a camera cell phone but can temporarily disable the attacker giving the realtor time to escape and summon the police.
The key to not becoming a victim is awareness of your situation at all times, being mentally and physically prepared to protect yourself, and having the element of surprise on your side with a self defense product. Just pretend you are a gazelle at the watering hole, constantly looking around for the ever present predator.
This is an alert from the Georgia Association of Realtors from this past week -
Agent Alert: Several Female REALTORS® Report Suspicious Phone Calls 05/12/2008
Numerous calls from female agents in the Dalton area have reported a suspicious man requesting to be shown vacant homes without the owners present. The calls have been coming from 706-459-8502 and the caller has used the names Terrance McCain, Shane Morgan and Rodney Brock to identify himself. The first known call was on 4/8 and some agents believe he has contacted them by email.
In addition to the suspicious calls, another female agent showed a vacant, isolated house to a suspicious man driving a green Maxima who had called from a 459 number. When the agent arrived at the house, the car was backed up behind the house in a strange area. The agent had her son with her who also thought something was eerie about the man. The man stayed behind the agent and tried to lock the front door after they entered the house and did lock the kitchen door. The agent left as quickly as possible and the man told her maybe he would be seeing her soon. The man was tall, slender, had dirty black hair and very dirty clothes.
——–
When someone calls and wants to see only vacant homes, that should be a red flag right there. We understand some people are looking for vacant homes, the transactions can move faster and there is no worry about the seller wanting to stay in the home after the closing. It is these types of calls that you have to be extremely careful. If someone calls and wants to see vacant homes, take precautions. Have another agent with you. Have a friend or spouse with you. Make sure that someone and your office knows where you are and what homes you will be showing. Check in often with your office, friends and family and have them check in with you also. In today’s times, we can never be too careful and if the customer is upfront, they will understand. Remember, your safety is up to you!
The following scenarios are typical REALTOR® situations. Think about what would be your normal response, what possible dangers are indicated, and what you could do better to lessen the risks. Find the answers suggested by NAR at the end.
Scenario #1: Open House
You are hosting an open house by yourself on a winter day. As the sun is setting and you are locking up, a nicely dressed man pulls into the drive and quickly hops out of his car. He apologizes for coming so late and says that he is very glad to have arrived before you left. He begs you to let him see the property as he has wanted to buy this style of home in this neighborhood for some time now. You had very few prospects visit the open house, so you would hate to miss this opportunity. What do you do?
Scenario #2: Listing Presentation
You receive a phone call from a man who says he is interviewing REALTORS® to sell his lakeside vacation home. You can hear children laughing in the background and he apologizes for all the racket his kids are making. He wants to hear your listing presentation and get your ideas about a good asking price, so he asks you to meet him at the property this evening at 8:00. What do you do?
Scenario #3: Showing a Property
On your first day with this prospect, you showed him three homes, and he acted like a typical buyer, asking all the expected questions and looking carefully at each home. On this occasion, it is a cold day and he offers to drive you since his car is already warmed up. He mentions that he would really like to see a home with a basement bedroom for his teenage son so he can play his music as loud as he likes. You know a house that’s fits his needs perfectly so you take him there to show him the nicely finished basement with recreation room, bedroom, and full bath. What would you do?
Scenario #4: Answering Calls
You get a cold call from a prospect who says he is about to take a new job in the area and he would like to look at some houses in a particular neighborhood his future boss recommended. He says that he’s open to other suggestions, and he asks where you live and what your neighborhood is like. Because he’ll need to move quickly, he wants to look at homes that are already vacant. After chatting about the kind of house he is looking for, he says he’s looking forward to working with you and asks if you’re as cute in person as your photo in the ad. He asks, with a friendly chuckle, if you’re still “on the market” or has a lucky guy already snapped you up. He closes by saying he’d like to start his search at a particular house in the ad, first thing tomorrow morning, and asks for directions so he can meet you there. How do you respond?
Scenario 5: Going to Closings
As you are about to leave a closing, you see three men loitering in the parking lot. When you get in your car, they also get into their car, and they pull out behind you as you leave. How would you react?
Answers to the Safety Scenarios
Scenario 1: Open House
Open houses are especially dangerous as they expose you to strangers, often while alone, with limited opportunity to pre-qualify the prospect or verify his identity.
Extra care should be taken at the end of the day when predators may think you are more likely to be alone. There are enough red flags here to warrant not going back into the house with him.
Don’t let his nice clothes influence your behavior.
Try to arrange for a showing later, after a meeting at the office where you can obtain and verify his identification.
If you do choose to let him see the house, do not follow him in—wait for him in the doorway (or in your car) so you can easily escape if necessary.
When he is finished looking, answer any questions he has, give him your card and a blank prospect card, and ask him to drop off or mail in his information.
Scenario 2: Listing Presentation
Any time you are meeting a stranger alone, whether it’s for a showing or a listing presentation, there is a potential for danger.
Don’t make assumptions. There could be any reasons for the sound of children; he could be calling from a pay phone in a restaurant with a noisy play area. Sometimes violent predators do have wives and kids at home.
First verify that he is actually the owner of the property by checking tax logs.
Try to set up a preliminary meeting in your office so that you can record his information before going to the property.
Even if you decide it is safe to go, make sure that while you’re at the property, you call in to the office regularly.
Scenario 3:Scenario #3: Showing a Property
Don’t let the fact that he acted normally on other showings cause you to let your guard down. Criminals may try to gain your confidence at first as they size you up.
Unless you know them personally, never ride with a client; drive your own car and park so you can get away easily if you need to. Park in the street, not in the driveway where you can be blocked in.
Even when the remote areas of the house are the best features, resist the urge to lead a prospect into a basement or a back bedroom where you can be trapped. Let them explore those areas on their own or, at most, follow them only as far as the doorway so they cannot block your exit.
Always have an escape route planned, and make sure exit doors are unlocked (or even better, left open even on cold days).
Scenario 4: Answering Calls
Always avoid giving out personal information to prospects. Do not put your home phone number on your card, and never give out your personal address.
Be sure that your photo in your marketing materials presents a professional image. Glamour shots can attract the wrong kind of attention. Predators have been known to use agent photos in ads to choose victims.
What might seem like friendly banter in a social setting can be highly inappropriate in a business relationship. Questions about marital status should raise a red flag. Let him know, politely, that it’s your policy to never discuss your personal life with prospects.
Make sure the prospect is who he says he is by getting the number of his employer so you can verify his story.
Asking to see only vacant properties is another warning sign…is he trying to make sure you’ll be alone?
Always insist that first meetings take place in your office, and have him fill out a prospect information form. Let him see that other people in your office know where you are going, with whom you are going, and when you’ll be back.
Trust your instincts. If the prospect’s behavior is too out-of-line, walk away. No commission is worth compromising your safety. With this prospect, telling him that you are too busy now and referring him to another colleague might be a good test of whether he is looking for a new home or targeting you for harassment or worse. If it becomes clear that he is not really looking for a home, communicate your experience with him to other agents in your area.
Scenario 5: Going to Closings
You may have been targeted by criminals because they think you will be carrying a large sum of money.
If you see something that makes you nervous, go back into the office until you feel it is safe to leave, or ask to be escorted to your car.
You can check to see if someone is following you, not by racing away, but by taking an unusual route (such as circling a block).
If it is clear that you are being followed, drive directly to a police station.
