It's A Tough Job But Someones Gotta Do It
When you think of dangerous jobs, you may think of a police officer, firefighter or someone who works high above the ground, like a construction worker on a tall commercial building. But what about those of us who sell real estate for a living?
Most people don't understand how dangerous our profession can be, so we wanted to share some things to educate the public.
OPEN HOUSES CAN BE AN INVITATION FOR TROUBLE
Open houses can be down right dangerous. When we have an open house, the entire public is invited to stop by. We agents are putting ourselves in a very vulnerable position here, as we are often sitting at a home, sometimes vacant, by ourselves. Every year, there are stories of agents being threatened or attacked at open houses. This can happen in any city and in any type of neighborhood.
Most veteran agents can relay numerous odd and sometimes dangerous encounters they've had with strangers at an open house. In fact, an agent in my office had this near miss a few years ago.
She was at a very large home in an upscale neighborhood. A man came in, noticed there were some other people walking around, and left. He later came back with another man while the agent was by herself and asked the agent if she would show them around the basement. Luckily, this agent sensed danger and refused to go into a closed area of the home with strangers. She thought quick on her feet and told the men she has to walk outside to return a phone call ( she called for help ), and the men ended up leaving without incident.
THE INTERNET HAS CREATED A CULTURE OF CHAOS
Back before the Internet existed, buyers had to visit their local real estate office and meet with an agent if they wanted to see homes for sale. Listings were kept in books that were not available to the public.
Today, as we all know, information is available on line. Buyers can now see detailed information on every home on the market. Then, if they don't have an agent, they often call the listing agent to show them a home they like. Unfortunately, many agents will end up meeting a total stranger to open up a home, some which are vacant or isolated. Can you see the danger of operating in this manner? Could you imagine a lawyer or accountant doing this?
The sad reality is that because real estate agents are on commission, they often disregard their personal safety in hopes of meeting a new client and making a possible sale.
AGENTS GET SMART AND DEFENSIVE
Some real estate agents have resorted to defensive tactics to ensure their safety. Some agents have taken self-defense classes, some carry concealed weapons, and others simply try to work smart by not putting themselves in a bad situation. Many will work open houses with a partner and will only meet strangers at their office.
While we don't rescue people out of burning buildings or stand on a scaffold hundreds of feet from the ground, there are dangers of being a real estate agent. So, when you deal with one of us, please be respectful of our desire to get to know you first before we just put you in our car or meet you at a vacant home.
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If you enjoyed this article, here are some others that may interest you as well:
Regarding Social Media, Are You A Sitcom, Drama, or Informercial?
Real Estate Agents Are Not Just Door Openers
Is Zillow Really Accurate? Take A Look For Yourself
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About The Authors:
Dan and Amy Schuman service the Cleveland, Oh metropolitan area and specialize in Cleveland luxury homes and working with buyers relocating to Cleveland.
LET'S CONNECT:
It's A Tough Job But Someones Gotta Do It is the property of The Schuman Team and may not be duplicated or used without their written consent. ©March, 2011
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