Is YOUR safety worth $1.99? Realtor® Alert for iPhone, iPad.
I have been waiting for an iphone app for this and now here it is. With all of what has been happenning out there, this should be a great tool along with any office procedures for "iffy" showings and customers. If you don't have it, get it.
This is very cool and I just had to share. Every so often we hear about a Realtor getting attacked or worse showing property or at an open house. NAR has designated Realtor Awareness & Safety seminars, individual offices have set up training and awareness methods including the famous 'blue file' call. (If you suspect a problem, call the office and ask for the 'blue file'). But this lady built an app that at the touch of your screen allows you to call 911 and a friend and sets off an alarm. Another handy feature is the 'Save Creep Data' which walks you through a description process while the details are fresh in your mind.
This doesn't take the place of taking safety precautions on your own behalf but it might just help save your butt if you do get into one of those situations.
Austin Realtor Releases REAL ALERT– the Personal Safety App for iPhone!
Austin, Tx. – (Wednesday, May 25, 2011) – On May 17, Austin Texas real estate agent Michelle Jones released REAL ALERT, a personal safety application designed for real estate agents. The App was developed by Michelle in order to increase personal safety awareness and provide quick access to emergency services.
The National Association of Realtors reports an increase in crimes against real estate agents in recent years. These crimes, ranging from minor thefts and assaults to rapes and even murder, occur throughout the country. Local media coverage of one of these violent attacks prompted Michelle to develop the App. “I’ve heard about attacks against agents for years, but seeing the local coverage of the violent attack of a San Antonio agent really scared me. I didn’t want to be the next victim.” says Michelle.
The Michigan Realtor Magazine advised that "The first step in preventing any crime is the knowledge that it can happen to you.” Real estate agents are particularly vulnerable to criminal attacks. Michelle’s husband, Thaddeus Jones states “After hearing about the San Antonio incident, I no longer felt comfortable with Michelle showing vacant listings and hosting open houses alone. I began going with her whenever possible and that began to interfere with my career and ultimately interfered with hers, too. Michelle and I decided to get serious about finding a better solution and there just wasn’t anything available on the market.” Being unable to find a comprehensive product that made her feel safe, Michelle decided to take matters into her own hands.
From one screen, REAL ALERT allows you to save precious moments with Quick tap “Call 911” and a Quick tap “ALARM” to ward off potential attackers. It allows you to speed dial your emergency contact with Quick tap “ALERT A FRIEND”. You can use it to LOCATE the nearest HOSPITALS using your current GPS location and record “CREEP DATA” – details about a suspicious person before they are forgotten.
After coming up with a solution that would make husband Thaddeus comfortable and her feel safe, Michelle approached a programmer she knew and hired her to program the app. “I’m not an overly technical person and definitely not a programmer” says Michelle. “I developed REAL ALERT to satisfy my own safety needs and quickly realized that it is a perfect solution for anyone, regardless of age or profession, that wants to protect themselves from potentially dangerous situations. I’m confident that it will help save lives.”
REAL ALERT is currently available on iTunes at a price of $1.99. It is listed in the ‘Lifestyle’ category and is compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. REAL ALERT is available for download at: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/real-alert/id436455476?mt=8
Media Contact Michelle Jones - Developer, (512) 470-3173, realalertapp@gmail.com
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