As realtors, you must always be on guard and thinking. You shouldn’t be afraid to show property; you must be smart when showing property. If you are going to show property early in the morning or late in the evening, try to take someone with you.  If you cannot take someone with you, be prepared for the unexpected. Take a picture of the client’s license plate and even of the client and email to your broker or your spouse, so someone has some information on whom you are working with. If the client doesn’t like that, then you should take that as a sign and ‘get out’.

Daytona Beach Area Real Estate Market, Data and Updates. By Lisa Hill, “THE SMART CHOICE!”
I was recently reminded of an incident that happened to a REALTOR® friend of mine, a few years ago. This incident was the type of horror story we all fear.

My friend received a call from a potential buyer who had to catch a flight out of town later that morning and he needed to leave by 9:00 a.m. He was anxious to see a model in a development my REALTOR® friend was representing and the only time he was available was early in the morning. So my friend scheduled an appointment to meet this potential buyer at one of the models at 7:30 a.m.

When she arrived at the model, the buyer was waiting and they proceeded to go inside the house. A few minutes later, another vehicle arrived with a couple in it. The potential buyer told my REALTOR® friend that these were friends of his and they all proceeded to view the house.

Then they got to the master bedroom. At this point, the original potential buyer pulled a gun out of a briefcase, then used garbage bag ties on my REALTOR® friend, and put her in the closet of the master bedroom. Now while my friend was in the closet, she could hear the 3 people  rummaging through the house and talking on what sounded like walkie talkies, but she couldn’t understand what they were saying, nor could she understand what they wanted in a model home.

Meanwhile, she could see into the master bathroom from her position in the bedroom closet, through the space where the criminals had left the door open a crack. She kept an eye on the mirror in the master bathroom, which was reflecting the criminal’s positions outside the master bedroom. She managed to get the ties off her feet, then summoned her courage and ran out the back sliding glass doors to a neighbors house and called the police.

The criminals left before the police arrived and they never could figure out what the overall plan was, but it was obvious that these criminals were professionals and there were others close by.

I titled this post that buyers needed to read this too, for an important reason. If you’re a real estate buyer, you need to understand why your REALTOR® expects you to do things a certain way. For our safety we need you, as a real estate buyer to…

1. Meet us at our office, not at the house you want to see.
2. Take time to sit down with us to give us all time to get comfortable with each other, as well as to help us understand your real estate preferences.
3. Let us make a copy of your driver’s license and leave copies with our office personnel.
4. Stick to a schedule, so we can leave a definitive itinerary with our office personnel.
5. Completely fill in all the fields on the forms at an open house. You may think looking at open houses is a fun afternoon outing, but we honestly need to be sensitive to the safety of the seller’s possessions, and our lives.

Real estate buyers, we understand that you’re anxious to start looking at the houses or condos you want to see. But I’m sure you’ll agree with me that the safety of the agent is of utmost importance, and you can probably wait just one more hour. Please be understanding of this and cooperate with any requests your agent may make.  The story I’ve just told had a happy ending, as this agent was able to return safely home to her family and continue a successful career, albeit more than a little bit reluctant to return to work. But there have been many others who were not so lucky. Just read Elizabeth Nieves’ recent post about Sarah Anne Walker; a REALTOR® who was brutally murdered while holding open a model home in 2006.

The reason why a homeowner should use a realtor is the realtor is much more savvy in dealing with their clients. They screen their clients, get information and they do not take chances. There are office safety procedures to follow; meet the client(s) at the office, get their personal information, let others in the office meet the client(s). You should always follow your office safety procedures, it will save your life.

We are so sorry about what happened to Eugenia “Jeanne” Calle, if she only had some type of procedure in order to screen would be purchasers, she might not have gotten in this situation.

Again, office safety procedures are there to protect you. If a client does not want to follow the procedures, ie give you his identification, meet you and others in the office, then you should just write them off - so you don’t end up like Ms. Calle, bless her soul. Read the rest of this entry »

Realtor Safety Tips:

1- Always meet a client for the first time in the office. Introduce him or her to co-workers and make it clear that they know you are taking him out of the office. Try to take separate cars but if that is not possible, then you will have slightly more control if you drive. Do not meet a client at the property, particularly if he is calling on a yard sign. He will already have had a chance to note if the property is vacant.
2- Get a license plate number and leave it at the front desk. Just explain that it is office policy; a customer who means no harm won’t mind. You might also leave an itinerary for your house tour.
3- Don’t identify a property as vacant to a caller on an ad or sign.
4- When showing property to a stranger, follow rather than lead him through the house. Don’t let him get between you and the door. At an open house, take up a position as close to the door as practical.
5- Always carry a cell phone where it is easily accessible (not in the purse you left in the car or stowed in a kitchen cabinet.) Make sure emergency numbers are programmed into the speed dial. Have a speed dial number indicated as ICE, In Case of Emergency. That way emergency personnel will always have a contact person if for some reason you are incapacitated in any way.
6- Ask the office manager to control keys to the office and to place deadbolts on the doors. If you are alone in the office at night, draw the the shades and do not admit anyone you do not know well and trust.
7- Go with your gut feelings. If something doesn’t feel right, if anything raises the hair on the back of your neck, escape the situation immediately. You might feel like an idiot but don’t worry about it. It could save your life!

There has also been an increase in crimes where a women sets up the female agent. Women agents tend to be a little more trusting of another female and let their guard down. Until you know a customer, remain vigilant regardless of their gender, appearance, dress or charm. Your personal safety is up to you.

Courtesy of Arizona Association of Realtors www.aaronline.com

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.

Your Personal Safety is up to You!

Personal Safety For Realtors-Stay Ahead Of The Predators/Perpetrators

Posted on February 20, 2008 Courtesy of Cheryl Watterson, www.selfdefensewithanattitude.com

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 »

Another Safety Point:

Someone told a friend about the other night when they were home alone, they heard a crying baby on their front porch. She thought that was weird so she called the police as it was late. The police told her “Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.”
The friend then said that it sounded like the baby had crawled near a window, and she was worried that it would crawl to the street and get run over.
The policeman said, “We already have a unit on the way, whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.”
He told her that they think a serial killer has a baby’s cry recorded and uses it to coax women out of their homes with the thought that someone dropped off a baby. He said they have not verified it, but they have had several calls by women saying that they hear a baby’s cry outside their door when they’re home alone at night.

Please be aware, don’t be impulsive, if something out of the ordinary happens, don’t be afraid to call the police. It’s better to be ’safe’ than sorry. Tell everyone that you know about this. It could save a life.

In the real world, this is not always the case. The business of selling real estate puts agents at a risk on a daily basis, including both men and women. Don’t Be Caught Off Guard. Be Aware - Know Who You Are Dealing With

Meet prospects in the office. Have them complete the personal identification form before going to properties. Try to have this done in the presence of an associate. Verify identities. Ask for several forms of ID and cross-check them. Call references and places of employment. Inform prospects that your firm’s safety policies require that you keep the information on file, which could discourage assilants. Get license numbers. Record car models and license numbers. Introduce the prospects to others in the office. Photocopy driver’s license.