FIRST DEGREE MURDER OF REALTOR BEVERLY CARTER

This urgent appeal comes in response to the tragic murder of Realtor Beverly Carter. My name is Jonathan Lerner, and I am the owner/broker of Five Corners Properties. We are a boutique real estate firm located in NY and CT, with a 40-strong 40 sales force who, like Beverly Carter, are devoted to their work. As any businessman will understand - the safety of my staff has always been my top priority.

President Obama recently stated “America leads. We are the indispensable nation. We have capacity no one else has. And when trouble comes up anywhere in the world…they call us. That's the deal.” At Five Corners Properties we share that mantra. We believe in protecting our people.

The authorities believe that Beverly Carter was targeted because she was a female working alone. Her senseless death was a meaningless act of random chance. It really could have been anyone. Perhaps an agent at my company. Perhaps one at yours.

As a leader in the real estate community, I challenge my fellow brokers across this great nation to join me in raising the bar for the safety of all our beloved professionals.

As kids, we’re told never to talk to strangers. We’re told never to put ourselves in compromising situations. As parents, we teach our own kids the same lessons: never talk to strangers; never put yourself in compromising situations. Why, then, do we allow our agents to do just that?

At Five Corners, we take safety seriously. We vet ALL new clients. We always have, we always will. The time has come for all realtors to join Five Corners in making the safety of our agents our number 1 priority.

Five Corners is proud of its security protocols. Our practices ensure our staff are safe. Always. The negative element within society is always changing, always adapting. And just as the criminals change and adapt, so our security protocols have evolved to keep pace:

·         The first customer meetings take place in our office – without exception

·         All customers provide a verifiable form of ID, which we record

·         Our agents keep their Smartphones updated with the latest security software

·         Public and Broker Open Houses have a minimum of 2 advisors at all times

·         Cameras and other security devices are installed to remotely monitor off-premises locations

We strongly urge ALL realtors to follow suit. At Five Corners, we would be delighted to share our protocols with other firms, and we encourage you to contact us for more details.

As an industry, we must work together to promote safety awareness among our colleagues. We aren’t just business people. We’re fathers and mothers, grandfathers and grandmothers. We’re neighbors. We’re a community, and we have a duty of care to one another. Therefore I urge all realtors to honor Beverly Carter – adopt a new higher bar TODAY.