Safety and not being stupid go hand in hand, please understand

Tammy:  I try to remind my Lenders of much the same message, as we now meet our clients in their homes, in our offices later at night, and in other places than our offices too.  In this day and age, you just can't take too many precautions .. no matter your gender ...

Gene

Tammy, This is so sad. Long gone are the days that people didn't even lock their doors. You are smart to use safety measures with your agents. Those of good intenetions will not be offended at all.

Hi Tammy. This is where serious self defense comes into play. For both men and women in this profession. I know of an agent on the Eastside of Seattle who was murdered on the job. I never forget it.

Yes, we do need to be careful, that's for sure.

This is where my 13 yrs. of retail experience comes into play.  I'm an expert at sizing up people because part of my job at Staples was loss prevention.  I've seen thieves over the years stealing stuff from the store.  1st time it's on us.  2nd time - it's on you and if I was working my shift at customer service, you didn't stand a chance dealing with me because I had your face & previous con tricks in my memory.  And I loved conning the thieves when they came back.

Tammy, this has happened more than once in my area. One was very tragic. You cannot be too safe. That goes for men and women agents.

My mother in law's sister was a Realtor in Illinois.  She showed a vacant home to a "buyer" and was found murdered in the home.  This case has never been solved.  We always use caution when showing homes.  

Tammy, that's a good policy, and it's certainly one that every buyer or seller should understand.

Having been raised in a huge city (New York) I don't ever take safety for granted and always go the extra mile to protect myself. It's when you are oblivious that you get into problems. Great post.

As a buyers agent, this is always at the back of my mind.  I have a new client - young single man.  I met him at Starbucks first for an initial meeting.  I know where he works (reputable job), that he's preapproved (at least reputable credit) and that he owns a car & has a decent budget for a house.  Nice, friendly fellow.  Still, I would prefer some of our first showings to be at open houses until I have an even better feel.  

As Realtors, you never know who you're meeting with. Someone should always know where you are and who you're seeing.

This also begs the question: How safe are open houses? We recently began a discussion about this on LinkedIn (here) - might be a good follow-up topic to blog about, Tammy! Thanks for reminding us all how important it is to stay safe.

I think we all really appreciate this post written not just to those in the industry but almost as a public anouncement.

It's scary to think about what could happen if we were meeting the wrong person at a vacant house. My daughter has had nightmares about it and before that, I never talked to her about it. So, I listened to my then 12 year, who is now getting ready to turn 18. :)

Each year, I have added additional layers of protection to the way I work and do business.  It is a sad commentary of our times.  

Tammy, Being proactive really does help to avoid bad situations as you desribe and your post is to be heeded by all professionals who meet people they do not know for business. Well deserved feature!

Safety is key.  It's not to live in fear, but to be realistic.  I read that story and what a very sad event.