Diary Entry from Ground Zero: BE SAFE!

Julie:  Not a bad idea!  I have entered hundreds (maybe over a thousand) homes in the last year and had yet to encounter a living being!  Oh I take that back.  I encountered a cat about a month ago probably entering through doggie door.  ALA Fresh Step party style!

Carol:  TRUE TRUE TRUE

Michael E:  I just want everyone to be aware and safe!

Tony:  HMMMM that sounds interesting !

Kris:  Same.  I enter plenty by myself for previewing or BPO reasons too.  I have seen evidence that someone is around so now I will courtesy call list agents to let them know.

Maggie:  LOL!  Be careful in FL too!  I know you guys have just as many REO

Mike H:  LOL @ Rent Collections via taser!

Larry:  VERY TRUE THAT!

Charlene:  Realtors steal keys because they have clients who like the property and want to write an offer.  That prevents other Realtors from showing the properties and doing the same.  Luckily I have some master keys and know lots and lots and lots of mechanical codes in my head by agent and by servicing company ;)

Patricia:  Crazy enough I have walked into just foreclosed unsecured homes by myself!

Tom B:  Lars would be a perfect companion for me.  He probably weighs more than me!

Richard:  And checking up on them on a regular basis!

Terrie:  YES!  I can laugh now.  My husband was mortified with questions "who were you with, what did you do, blah blah blah."  He is never really concerned about me since I am a big girl and can handle so many situations on my own so it was nice for once.

Mark M:  You are welcome

Yvette & Dennis:  Like you I have only seen signs and heard stories!  We all need constant reminders about safety!

Harrison:  Very true, they are just looking for a place to crash BUT you never know!

Larry S:  Yes I have encountered those that don't want to show any proof they can buy a home (preapproval or VOF.)  They get shuffled on to my boyz and never return calls.

Herb:  OMG!

Mary S:  YES!  My car doors lock automatically as my car transmission gets put in "drive".  I even have reservations about driving with windows down many times.

Melissa:  True story, LOL!

Andrea:  That advice makes me scared in and of itself.  I don't know that I could be prepared to live with those consequences.  I wanted to be a doctor but couldn't use a scalpel or administer a shot. 

Brien:  Great idea.  Never thought twice about it until this incident. 

Andrew:  Writing is therapeutic to me.  I was not non-chalant when I was hyperventilating and my clients had to calm me ;)

Heather:  Hopefully your partner checks them on a regular basis!!

Ila:  Great tips, thanks for sharing!

Erica:  BINGO!

Russell:  Maybe you men just shouldn't challenge authority :tongue in cheek:

Christine B:  DO NOT PASS GO OR COLLECT $200!  Get some new pepper spray!  Glad this post made you check!

Greg:  Never thought about the pepper spray for dogs too, splendid idea!

Kelly:  THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT IN REGARDS TO LA's!  There were leaflets outside of the house so not many signs of entry from the entrance.  Just the back door at that!

Craig:  With my tongue firmly planted in my cheek, I didn't stick around to interview the dude.  I hear what you are saying in regards to the economic times.  I am a very compassionate person and I always wonder after I cross situations like this what happened and why.  I wonder that after I view a recently foreclosed home.  I wish walls could talk.  I know many people doing what they can by living with extended family.  I know one family that has a house of grandma, mom and hub, son and wife, daughter (grown and single) and 7 children to share expenses.  We all need to reach out to our friends and family that may be in distress and grow closer to the ones we love because they may not be telling us something.  There are no trespassing signs on vacant and foreclosed homes.  There was one on this home.  I know we are all doing what we have to in order to survive but I believe we have to keep our morals and ethics and not break the law.  My husband and I just had that discussion last night as we are all fighting for survival.  I know that there are some people who are mentally and emotionally incapable of doing such.  It's the way we are wired.  Different story for a different time however!

Heather:  What's odd is we did that the day before.  My partner had a walk through in a not so great part of town and we all checked in w/ each other at the end of the day!

Jeanna:  Very unexpected with everything I saw yesterday!  Like I said, I can handle one or two issues but not a day of such issues!

Christina B:  YES!

Brian:  I know you saw the interest in me when you and Deborah explained what you did!  Very interesting and definitely could be something fun for hub and I to get involved in!

Christine W:  That's exactly what I have - the pepper spray pen!!

Linda:  Same here.  I have also walked into unsecured property at the butt crack of dawn.  It is habit for me to scream "GOOD :insert time of day" REALTOR HERE" and then listen for movement.

Suzanne:  Reminders of safety never hurt!  Thanks for stopping by!

Jean:  I will be even more careful now!  Stay safe!

Tim:  Now that you have said that, I unarmed the alarm when I walked in.  It wasn't functional but gave the flatline BEEP when I walked in!

Robert:  Thanks for the feature.  I have a BA leaving the country for 3 weeks soon and I need someone soon!  We do need to figure out a time to sit down!

Dawn:  OH MY!  I don't think that any of the above activity I described has any economic borders!

Kristina P:  Thanks for your comment and stopping by!

Chris O:  One of my most recent favorites was my client climbing in the attic because they were suspicious about something.  Used their Iphone and took pictures of bundles and bundles of electric, telephone and CAT wire that was pulled up through the walls!

Kristi D:  DO IT!

Norma:  Could be!  I really like Tom's idea of going with a German Shepherd.  Thumbs up for that one!

Lisa G:  I will check out that taser story!  My partner did a walk through a 4 plex just the night before but it was with a big guy.  We both checked on each other at the end of the day!

Chris S:  Yes, was an overwhelming day.  I couldn't sleep that night so my husband let me sleep in today!

Rebecca:  No doubt about squatters!

Bob & Carolin:  YES WE do all need to be careful!!

Joe P:  For that reason, I always lock the door behind me which now I wonder if that is safe to do since I actually encountered someone in case I needed to escape.  I do this because a creepy guy (same situation) did the same thing once!

Missy:  You are very welcome and thanks for stopping by!

Daren:  Thanks for sharing those resources!

Roland:  KUDOS!

Charles:  True true true!

Patricia:  YES!  My family members scare the snot out of me at times in the house too if they are too quiet!

Emily:  Concoctions, YIKES!  I can honestly say that I haven't run into that, Now I will ...LOLOL!

Kathleen:  I hear you about it being unusual.  On occassion my son will be in the car with me on a BPO and he will enter it with me.  Otherwise I don't know if it is highest and best use of time.  I guess it would be if it saves lives!

Christine D:  No doubt!

Joetta:  YES!  At least he responded in kind (the second time!)  I love Tom's idea too.  I don't know how well my Italian Greyhounds would feel about me employing a German Shepherd (like Tom's)

Pete:  Not a bad idea!

Wayne:  I hear you on that in regards to it being a BIT too exciting!

Ann:  The thefts happen in new construction here too.  Appliances are not regularly delivered prior to close and if they are, doors and knobs are taken off and then put on after close.

Sheldon:  The dude was so cute that I must have skipped over him ;) FYI, it is very sobering!

Carrie & Cathie:  ABSOLUTELY!

Sonya:  VERY mentally exhausted!

Greg:  Call it fashionably late ;)

Christina:  NEVER HURTS!

Anthony:  Did you have a garage sale?  LOL!

Todd:  You don't, especially with a full bladder !