Lets talk safety in Real Estate. Not the aspect of production and establishing a "net" for your financial future. No, I want to speak about your safety. I am not speaking about lawsuits or the sort, most of those can be averted by the simple rule of thumb, "Disclose, Disclose, Disclose".
How many times have you had someone call as a buyer wanting to see one of your listings in the next 10 minutes? I say "pose" because that might be what is really happening. This phone call could be conducted by a predator. We do have our pictures all over God's green earth. We are on the Internet, we have even written attractive things about ourselves. So, if you fit the mold, and are someone that a "predator" wants to...______(fill in the blank), what are you doing meeting a total stranger at a property. If that is how you conduct yourself in an attempt to sell a listing, stop... Explain to the caller to meet you at your office first, there are several things that have to be discussed, if they have an interest in working with you. You can further explain to the caller that he or she can call another agent and they will show them the property immediately without meeting. But that is where you are different, you understand those facets that will assist the caller with all of their Real Estate needs. So "Mr or Mrs Caller don't you owe it to yourself to make sure you are making the right decision?"
Here is one, the Open House... I think these are wonderful. Lets talk about step one, you advertise it everywhere you can. So If I were a predator, I would be able to connect the dots to see where you are this weekend. On the morning of the open house you go out and place your open house signs. Sometimes by placing the signs you are feeling a "rush" of sorts. Sometimes we park illegally placing ourselves and others at risk, and sometimes we leave the car running and unlocked as we walk away to place the sign.
This leaving the car unlocked is what struck the chord in me to write this blog. Very recently an agent did the very thing of leaving her car unlocked and running for just a moment while she was placing an open house sign. While away from her car two men entered her car and took her purse, pda, laptop, and other items of a personal nature. Lets take this one to the next level, now these men have her home address, picture, credit cards, this could potentially be a huge mess. This could have been averted by taking a couple of more minutes and locking the car.
At the open house we have a flow of hopeful buyers...(we would wish..) How do you control the flow? I suggest setting up a table/desk outside of the front door with a registration pad and a sign that says something like; "Be back in a moment, I am showing the home." This way it would look like you are absolutely caring about the presentation and really we are there to 1.find a buyer, or 2 a buyer that wants something else. So why not take more time with each person than usual. This will help keep you safe!!!
Now we are showing properties and have our clients with us We arrive at a home and use the lock-box to obtain the keys and enter the structure. We are pointing out all of the exciting stuff the homes has and another Realtor comes in the door with their clients<mistake #1. I always take the key and lock the door behind me. This is to prevent any issues.
Also, and most importantly, I need the other agent to remove the key from the supra box that will record each agents digital signature when they remove and replace the keys. So when we are done viewing the structure we will exit via the door and I will explain to the other agent I will need for them to remove the keys from the box because I won't be able to stick around. (usually I get a look and maybe a bit of compressed air expelling from the other agents mouth in disgust) but I can live with that better than getting a call from the listing agent who is pissed off about someone taking the keys and not replacing them into the box. Yelling at the top of his lungs that I was the last one that took the keys and why in the heck didn't I put them back...
Some of the above tactics could be viewed by others as offensive. But actually they will keep you safe. It only takes just a moment more to implement the above ideas. But I would rather take that moment aligning the signs and pausing my breathing, taking up the slack and making sure of my target, before I press that trigger and miss. Just for reference I am 6'1" tall and a "bridging" 275lbs, was LAPD 1990 - 2007, I have seen dozens of martial arts movies (LOL). But I operate in the above ways.
By implementing some of the above "safety" ideas you might lose one deal here or there. But I don't want those deals that start off with now, now, now. Hurry, Hurry, Hurry, with the client unwilling to take any thought about what might prove to be the largest investment in their entire life. Remember this, if it is too good to be true then it might be...
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