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 »
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.
You Just Never Know! This is truly an unbelievable story but what was Troy to do? There are situations that you can prepare yourself for and can defend yourself, you can even take self defense classes, knowledge and awareness type classes, etc. but how can you prepare yourself for something like this? My prayers go out to Troy’s family. Thank you Monica.
MUSKEGON, Mich. (WOOD) — A man, allegedly upset over a real estate transaction, shot a realtor in the head at the realtor’s office Tuesday morning.
Robert Johnson, 73, walked into Nexes Realty at 880 Broadway in Muskegon and asked for the realtor, Troy VanderStelt, by name. He went into a conference room and waited. Read the rest of this entry »
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.
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.
We have all got to be careful when we are setting up a showing. We must adhere to a few basic procedures. In this day and time, you can never be too safe. I mentioned in an earlier post about the 71 year old agent in Wisconsin, who was brutally murdered by a craze-O, you just never know, so don’t take chances. Do the right thing and following procedures. They could save your life!
When an ex-con kills a 71 year old REALTOR® in Wisconsin just because her innocent question made him mad, it’s no wonder St. Paul real estate agents are taking more safety precautions. Read the story here.
Safety tips used by agents are becoming more common:
Do not show vacant properties alone unless you know your customers. This applies to both men and women as men can be overpowered as well. A male California real estate agent was kidnapped at gunpoint to get his electronic key to open listed houses with the electronic lock boxes. When I meet a customer for the first time at a home, I bring a trusted colleague or my husband to stay in the car in case I don’t return.
Record the names, number, description and license number of a customer you are meeting at a home for the first time. I call these details into my broker’s voicemail. If someone accosts me, there is at least a modicum of information for the police to use to get the perpetrator back!
Carry my cell phone into the house with me and have 911 programmed at the touch of a button.
Never have an open house alone. The decrease in new buyer clients obtained through open houses and the increase in crime associated with opens is the basis for many St. Paul agents discontinuing the practice.
Let customers precede you into a house and the rooms in the house. Personally, I’d never be able to outrun a perpetrator. If my gut suspects something, I’m not going in! I would rather be alive and wrong while I lose a future client than dead because I didn’t want to lose that commission!
Carry some form of pepper spray or mace in my pocket. Good idea, but my pockets are already full of electronic key, car keys, MLS listing sheets, my cheat sheet of combinations for the tour, business cards, phone, daily planner, and sometimes a huge flashlight. I don’t think there’s room for that pepper spray. I think I’ll whack the perpetrator with the flashlight!
One of the REALTOR® safety tips is to pay attention to exits. Personally, I generalize that to PAY ATTENTION PERIOD!
Don’t assume women customers are safer than men. Frankly, I think women fight meaner and dirtier than men and wouldn’t care to be the victim of either! Besides, there may be a partner waiting by the scheduled house.
There always a struggle between leaving the front door unlocked during a showing (easy exit when escaping or easy entrance for bad guys) or not. Because of discrimination laws, an agent cannot lock the front door while showing a house in one neighborhood and leave it open in another. That can be perceived as discriminatory or giving a message about the neighborhood to the client. Some agents choose to leave the key in the front door so they don’t forget and lock it in the house. Others choose to lock the door. There are pros and cons to each system.
Leaving a proposed schedule and the contact info for who you are meeting with a family member or colleague is wise. Checking in after the showings are finished is a good policy. When there is no check-in your trusted person knows when to call the police.
The last point on my proposed safety procedures list has a funny story attached to it. Early in my career cell phones were not common (I know I’m older than dirt!) but my broker’s policy was that ALL of his agents would check in by phone after their open houses. My open house was in a vacant HUD home where I spent the afternoon killing mice with a broom. My pre-occupation with getting some shopping done on the way home distracted me from making the prescribed check-in call. When I finally remembered to stop at a pay phone, my husband informed me I had been given 15 more minutes and the two of them were going to call the cops! That was the last time I “forgot” to check in when done with my St. Paul real estate business! I can’t imagine my embarrassment if I had been pulled over by the cops as a “missing person”!
Courtesy of warealtor.org - Click here to get the pdf version of this entire safety guide - WARealtor.org Safety Guide
Fight or Flight? Be Aware of your Options!
Yell “fire” to get attention
Run and call 911 when you can
Take a self-defense training course/class
If you strike, mean it
When faced with danger, trust yourself and stay as calm as possible. Think rationally and evaluate your options. There is no one right way to respond to a confrontation, because each is different. The response depends on the circumstances: location of the attack, your personal resources, the characteristics of the assailant and the presence of weapons. There are many strategies that are effective, but you must rely on your own judgment to choose the best one:
No resistance - Not resisting may be the proper choice in a situation. An attacker with a gun or a knife may put you in a situation where you think it is safer to do what he/she says. If someone tries to rob you - give up your property - don’t give up your life.
Stalling for time - Appear to go along with the attacker. This may give you time to assess the situation. When his/her guard is down, try to escape.
Distraction and then flight - Obviously you should try to get away - but whether you can get away depends on your shoes, your clothing, your physical stamina, the terrain and how close your predator is.
Verbal assertiveness - If someone is coming toward you, hold out your hands in front of you and yell, “Stop” or “Stay Back!” When interviewed, rapists said they’d leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she was not afraid to fight back.
Physical resistance - If you decide to respond physically, remember that your first priority is to get away. Act quickly and decisively to throw the attacker off guard while you escape.
Make a conscious effort to get an accurate description of your attacker(s). Even the smallest details may give authorities a clue to finding the suspect.
The authors of A Woman’s Guide to Personal Safety say that you should tell authorities everything that occurred and what was said during the incident, including the things that may seem unimportant.
A real estate agent from Wisconsin was found murdered just a couple of days ago. She was showing property to a man and supposedly said something that set him off and he strangled her and beat her with a fireplace poker. Can you believe that!?! He set fire to the house and it was determined that she was still alive in the house when he did this. This poor lady was out doing an honest days work, showing property to a prospective client, she says something and he doesn’t like it and bam, she’s dead! I didn’t want to put the whole story here so if you want to read it, you can go to Read the Story
Today an agent has to be so careful. Real Estate is not like getting up in the morning, going to a 8 to 5 job and then going home. The days are long and filled and you may get a call to show property on the spur of the moment. But don’t let the thought of a big sale cloud your personal safety. Do what you must do to qualify that prospective client. Meet them at the office, get their information and ID, let others in your office meet them. Have someone with you to show the property if you don’t feel comfortable.
Be safe, and know that your personal safety is up to you!
Cheryl Watterson has a blog called www.selfdefensewithanattitude.com,where she discusses self defense, personal safety and personal security. I get a lot of good information from her site and pass along to family and friends.
Today she and her business associate put on a Realtor Personal Safety Awareness class for one of the largest Century 21 offices in Northern Indiana and the turn out was Great! Read below.
On Wednesday my business associate from ADT Security and I gave a Realtor Personal & Home SecuritySafety Awareness Program to one of the largest Century 21 offices in Northern Indiana. Our program provided targeted personal safety and home security strategies that each agent can use on a daily basis. We believe that personal security starts in the home. Therefore, your home must be a safe haven whether you or family members are home or away.
Experts agree that the single most important step towards ensuring an individual’s total personal security is to make the decision to refuse to be a victim. That means you must have an overall personal safety plan or strategy in place before you need it and be able to aggressively defend yourself if attacked.
Our goal is to provide a program of personal safety and security, self-awareness, and empowerment that will enable real estate agents to protect themselves and not become a victim of an attack by a perpetrator, an unruly prospect, or customer.
We all need to make personal safety and security a proactive habit 24/7. We can then ensure we’re one step ahead of a predator who preys on defenseless women.
Remember, Stay Aware…Stay Alert…Stay Alive!
Below is information that can help you in your day to day business of staying safe in our unsafe world!
Realtor Tips For Staying Safe On The Job
-Always be aware of your surroundings.
-Develop a habit of being alert.
-Trust your instincts – it could just save your life.
-When you enter a home, look for other entry/exit doors.
-Don’t host an open house by yourself.
-Dress conservatively and don’t wear expensive jewelry or flashy clothing.
-Only list office and cell phone numbers on business cards – noy your home number or home address.
-Stay in touch with your office – always carry a cell phone or voice pager.
-Be sure your cell phone is fully charged should you sit at an empty/new construction open house.
-Meet prospects at your office.
-Always take your own car when showing a property and have prospects follow in their car.
-Don’t go into the basement or confined areas with prospect/s.Try to keep your back closest to the exit door.
-Let potential buyers explore the home by themselves – keep some distance.
-Let someone else know your whereabouts and with whom you have an appointment with.
-Use sign-in sheets and have prospects show ID.If in doubt when meeting a prospect, state that it is your company’s policy to ask for identification.
-Never show a property alone at night.
-Never advertise a property as vacant.
-Report any suspicious experience to police.
-Offices should have a coded distress signal that is obvious to the office but not the prospect.
-Consider taking a personal safety/self-defense awareness class.
-Carry personal protection such as pepper spray, mace, a personal alarm or a C2 Taser.
Cheryl Watterson Linda Sokol
Personal Security Solutions ADT Security
(574) 514-1214-Cell (574) 220-0349-Cell
Be sure to visit the following sites for additional tips on realtors staying safe:
Unfortunately, there are a few sick people out there looking for an easy victim. What industry makes their job easy? The real estate industry for one. For the most part, real estate professionals are independent agents –predominantly women - who work alone and will jump at the opportunity to get a new prospect – especially in these crazy times. Read the rest of this entry »
Realtor Safety At Open Houses: A Warning That Could Save Your Life As reported by John Harper “East Bay Rapist Arrested” nearly a year ago, ex convict Daniel Duran was attempting to assault Realtors at open houses in the Dublin-San Ramon-Pleasanton areas. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident as described by the following video about similar activity in the Cincinnati, Ohio area.Warning: Do not get caught in the “Earthquake Syndrome.” Even though we, here in Northern California know we are in earthquake country, very few take precautions and prepare a plan ahead of time.
Watch the video then please consider utilizing any or all of the security tips provided below. Be safe Not sorry!<Remember, Your Personal Safety is up to YOU!
Always carry a charged mobile phone. Clip your phone on and make it part of your everyday apparel for immediate accessibility. Carry an extra battery and/or have your car charger in your car so you will have access to your phone all day.
Planning for a successful real estate transaction is an essential part of Real Estate - So plan for your Personal Safety Too!
You cannot begin a successful showing of property to your clients without having homes to show them, correct forms and/or sales contracts. You need to be planning for your personal safety as a natural part of your business.
Plan your day and share it - Ensure that someone knows your plans and schedule for the day. Have a timeline that can be verified at all times.
Plan to have your cell phone with you - the importance of your cell phone is necessary in performing your job, and safety is a necessary part of your job. Be sure that your cell phone is charged and that you have your car charger or a back up battery, to ensure that you have a cell phone that works all day.
Plan your showing appropriately - If you are showing property in an isolated area, have someone with you or have someone meet you there. Before you start your open house, introduce yourself to the neighbors and let them know you are having an open house and how long it will be. This provides an extra measure of safety and markets yourself at the same time.
Plan your escape routes - When entering a home, look for escape routes. Allow clients to lead and don’t trap or corner yourself. Avoid basements, attics, etc. where escape routes are limited. Avoid close quarters such as narrow hallways, back rooms, etc.
Feruary 6, 2008. NWMLS has recently received reports of potential dangerous situations regarding a man attempting to lure women agents to homes.
A man named Christopher Heath (from Vermont) is trying to get female agents out to vacant properties. Most of the properties he is interested in are vacant and secluded. He has been arranging to meet with several agents in the area (Duvall, Monroe, Kent).
Heath claims to be relocating here to work at the Fire Academy in North Bend. He claims to be a widower, retired firefighter, cash buyer searching for rural setting with room and privacy for the 2 search-and-rescue dogs he has for his job here with the Seattle Fire Department.
He originally was looking for a house priced between $400,000 and $600,000.
He later changed the price to a million, saying it was going to be a cash deal and that the money would be wired from Merrill Lynch. One agent was feeling uncomfortable with the situation and began a background check. The Fire Academy has never heard of him. He had called from a New York phone number so she did a reverse search — it was a doctor’s cell phone # — when she called the number the next day it had been cancelled.
A 2nd agent called the number she had been given in Vermont and spoke to his wife (he claimed to be a widower). She said there are about 10 different female real estate agents leaving him messages and she found many Seattle area agents on his home computer. According to his wife, he was in the middle of taking out a home equity loan on his wife’s (of 4 months) home. His wife just happened to be home and saw the appraiser measuring her home – a 30-acre horse ranch in Vermont.
Another agent arranged to meet with him today (February 6). She told him by voice mail and email that they would be meeting at her office to introduce themselves in person and to go over their tour and initial real estate paper work.
She told him it was their company policy to meet new clients at their office, introduce them to their office manager and to make a copy of their driver’s license. She has not heard from him since. His wife believes he is now in New York heading to Washington. The situation has been reported to the police. Please be careful! If this man contacts you, contact your local authority.
I was talking with a realtor friend of mine the other day and I asked her what she does to stay safe while out in the real estate field. She said she tries never to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. But she did tell me a story of a time she had an inspection in the city and got to the condo a few minutes early, so she decided to go by a convenience store and get a cup of coffee and a newspaper. The bars on the windows and doors should have told her not to stop but she said she did. The second thing was the guy loitering out front. As she parked and got out to go into the store, the guy came up to her commenting on her nice car. He also proceeded to tell her that he had just gotten out of jail. She said she continued into the store for her coffee and newspaper but was very anxious of the guy loitering out around her car. She left the lid off her coffee as she headed outside to her car, just in case. The guy started toward her and she had that feeling. She yelled at him to STAY AWAY from her, that he needed to find someone else to harrass today and if he so much as came one foot closer to her, he would indeed find himself back in jail before the end of the morning. She used a few choice words and her voice was very loud. And do you know what he did? He backed off. She got in her car and left. The thing is, she was really and truly in the wrong place but by letting this guy know that she wasn’t going to take his —-, he backed off because he knew she would be more trouble than the fight would be worth. He probably left to go find easier prey. The moral of the story is, if at all possible, try not to be in the wrong place, if you are, be assertive, in command, stand tall, look forward, don’t start anything but don’t take anything either. And most of all, get out of there safely. Remember, your Personal Safety is up to You! Glad this turned out okay for my friend.
I checked out the blog of one of my favorite realtors and she had the post below on her site. I think we all need to stop and decide if running out to a ’spur of the moment’ showing is worth the price that we ‘could’ pay for that showing. In a quest to make a sale, a lot of real estate agents overlooked basic security precautions that could ultimately keep them safe. Do not let the thought of a ‘big closing’ cloud you personal safety. Be consistent of what you do day to day that keeps you safe in the real estate world. Read below-
A few days ago I wrote a post about REALTOR safety. It is a subject I feel passionate about and one that I think is largely ignored by my peers. Yesterday I found a blog post written by Fred Carver who talked about the recent murder of a co-worker. It gave me chills reading about this very tragic death of real estate agent Lindsay Buziak. She had received a call from a potential customer who wanted to see a particular upscale home right away. The customer wanted to purchase a home by the end of the day. Lindsay like so many other agents would do… set up an appointment to show the vacant high priced home. She apparently told some people in her office that she felt uncomfortable but still she went to show the property. It was the last time that she would ever show a house… she was found dead..murdered in that home. How very sad. Please be careful out there and don’t take chances. Check out this weblog REALTOR Safety 911 and be sure to watch this video, I posted it the other day but really think it’s worth re-posting.
A Gwinnett agent was holding an open house at 1056 Eagles Ridge Court in Whitehawk subdivision (off of Tab Roberts) in Lawrenceville on Sunday, Jan. 27 2008. A man showed up and told the agent that he had been in jail twice for raping real estate agents. Though she was scared, she was not physically harmed. The man stayed at the home for over an hour (she got him to go outside), and identified himself as Jeffrey Shumate. He was in his mid thirties, Caucasian, heavy set, had a crew cut, was about 5’ 6”. He wore a black biker’s jacket and was driving an older white Buick Skylark. He told the agent that he “went after” the last agent who reported him to the police.
AGENTS BEWARE! He made a point to tell the agent that he looks for open houses.
A complaint was filed with the Gwinnett County Police.
A Gwinnett agent was holding an open house at 1056 Eagles Ridge Court in Whitehawk subdivision (off of Tab Roberts) in Lawrenceville on Sunday, Jan. 27 2008. A man showed up and told the agent that he had been in jail twice for raping real estate agents. Though she was scared, she was not physically harmed. The man stayed at the home for over an hour (she got him to go outside), and identified himself as Jeffrey Shumate. He was in his mid thirties, Caucasian, heavy set, had a crew cut, was about 5’ 6”. He wore a black biker’s jacket and was driving an older white Buick Skylark. He told the agent that he “went after” the last agent who reported him to the police.
AGENTS BEWARE! He made a point to tell the agent that he looks for open houses.
A complaint was filed with the Gwinnett County Police.
Take a few minutes to watch this video. There are some good tips and wonderful information that you can use in your own day to day real estate activities -
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