12 Tips for September's REALTOR® Safety Month
Real estate professionals interface with the general public on a daily basis and can always presents risks. Since September is REALTOR® safety month, here are a few tips to help keep you safer.
1. Meet Prospective Clients in Your Office: Predators tend to avoid the spotlight so meeting prospective clients your office for the first time is a safer as you never know who is on the other side of the phone. When they come into your office, make a copy of their driver's licenses to place on file. If you do meet them alone in a house, make sure your colleagues know where you are and whom you're with.
2. Trust Your Intuition: Do you ever get a creepy feeling from a stranger? Your body is hardwired to pick up on signals that somebody is just a little off. Sure, you could be wrong—your client with the shifty eyes or the intense, disturbing gaze may just be a harmless eccentric—but the price of doing business with a shady character far outweighs the cost of losing a client.
3. Keep Your Cell Phone Charged and Ready: We are all very mobile and our business are tied to our cell phones. We've all had our phones die between texting the family and e-mailing clients all day. Keep a cell phone charger in your car, and carry a battery booster that can charge your phone in your pocket or purse.
4. Keep It Professional: Don't offer too much personal information to clients—especially in the beginning, when you're still getting a sense of who they are.
5. Lead from Behind: When showing a home, let the prospective buyers enter each room first. This gives you quick access to the door, preventing you from getting cornered and make sure to turn on lights.
6. Carry a First Aid Kit: When showing property, you never know if you or your clients might need a first aid kit. Keep one in your car for any emergency! I always keep zip ties and several tools such as a screwdriver and pliers in case I have to fix a sign.
7. Hide Valuables: Criminals target open houses, and they may rummage through drawers and medicine cabinets looking for anything of value, including prescription drugs. and insulin syringes. Make sure your clients understand the importance of keeping their valuables out of site and especially expensive jewelry.
8. Wear Comfortable Flat Shoes- Heels look terrific but flats are easier and safer from hazards. If things go wrong, take off your heels and run
9. Car Placement- Parking in front or facing outward is good too in case you do have to leave in a hurry. Do not let someone block you in the driveway
10. Open Houses- This is a time to be on your toes from guests who stop by as they might have ulterior motives.
11. ATM Machines- Always practice good safety when using an outside ATM or when leaving a bank, make sure no one is following you and be careful at gas stations too since many have Realtor signs on their car.
12. Team Up at Open Houses- If possible always do open houses with another person whether it be another Realtor or one of your lenders.
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*This information shared from Old Republic Home Warranty Company by Lisa Masterson.
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