UPDATE - SAFETY FIRST - SECOND and THIRD!!!!!
Remember Beverly Carter
May She Rest in Peace
Safety for Real Estate Professionals must be a full-time concern. While Beverly Carter took many precautions, in the face of evil, they were not sufficient to save her life. Beverly Carter’s family will never share a meal with her again or listen to her laughter again.
Near Atlanta, in Cobb County, in November 2003, two members of our real estate community, Cynthia Willaims and Lori Brown, were murdered in their office - onsite at a new homes community.
Jay Thompson shared a link about the ongoing legal process in the Beverly Carter murder from September 2014 in Little Rock, Arkansas. Beverly was murdered when showing a home in Little Rock, Arkansas. The perpetrators - a man and a woman - are in custody.
No one has ever been apprehended in the case of Ashley Okland, murdered in April 2011 in West Des Moines, Iowa when hosting an Open house, for the crime.
In memory of both Beverly and Ashley, Dylan de Bruin and Joe Schafbuch launched the REALTOR SAFETY PLEDGE. As of early July 2015, 1234 professionals and members of the public have taken the REALTOR Safety Pledge.
Unfortunately, on June 16, 2015, Sidney Cranston, Jr., age 40, disappeared after going to a property to to survey damages. (See comment #12.) A neighbor near the home in Kingston, AZ saw Sidney Cranston at the home, saw a white SUV pull up and when he looked back, both the man and the car were gone. No one has seen him since then.
*** He did not survive. his body was recovered in January 2017.
The risk is there for all of us - both men and women.
ASK YOURSELF:
1. Are my safety precautions in place EVERY time I meet an unknown person?
2. Have I alerted my Back-Up Team about my appointments?
3. Do I remember to check in as I am supposed to check in?
In May 2015, NAR launched additional safety resources for REALTOR safety training. You will find more information at the link above.
Tracey Hawkins, a former real estate professional now dedicated to teaching safety to others, suggests adding “GUT FEELINGS” to your safety “toolbox”:
1. “Acknowledge that like all animals in nature, we all possess a gift that allows us to sense danger. […] Just listen [to your instincts] and escape the situation.
2. “Respect that inner voice and act on it without hesitation and without questioning the validity. […] Yes. Be willing to let a potential client go. Nothing is worth jeopardizing your safety.
3. “Defend your right to put safety before politeness. Do not waiver from your safety practices […] Just that one time, is often the time something goes wrong.”
As REALTORs, we receive many safety warnings each year. For example, from NAR publications, we could read about RURAL Real Estate Safety Tips. In addition, NAR offers free Webinars such as the One-Hour Webinar by Andrew Wooten about Five Tips for Open House Safety. Want a list of other Safety Webinars?
A comprehensive option is a one-hour or three-hour class about Safety. The three-hour class may be submitted to your state licensing board for for CE credit if your local REALTOR Association chooses to request qualification.
All great options - - -
ONLY IF WE TAKE THEM TO HEART AND PRACTICE THEM.
Why not be proactive and bring up the topic of safety with your real estate peers the next time you are together? Tips from your friends and colleagues may save your life or the life of another person in the room.
Have a successful day -
Lynn
Icon courtesy of NAR.
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