September is REALTOR Safety Month and there are tons of helpful safety tips to consider while showing real estate. Whether it be a safety strategy, safety apps, or hosting an open house, we hope that you find these tips useful.
Preview the Neighborhood
Preview the neighborhood and home before you show the home. Check for cell reception and familiarize yourself with entry and exit points in the home. If you cannot preview the home before showing it, at least review the floorplan so you know escape points.
Open House Safety
Don’t assume that everyone has left the premises at the end of an open house. Check all of the rooms and the backyard prior to locking the doors. Be prepared to defend yourself, if necessary.
Charged Cell Phone
Make sure your cell phone is fully charged when you are out showing.
Hide Personal Information
Tell your sellers: DON’T leave personal information like mail or bills out in the open where anyone can see it. Lock down computers and lock up laptops and any other expensive, easy-to-pocket electronics before your showing.
Nothing Personal
When talking to clients and prospects, be friendly but still keep your personal information private. This means avoiding mention of where you live, your after-work or vacation plans, and similar details.
Carry Less
If you carry a purse, lock it in your car trunk before arriving at an appointment. Carry only non-valuable business items (except for your cell phone), and do not wear expensive jewelry or watches, or appear to be carrying large sums of money.
Have an Excuse Ready
Having an excuse in mind can help you out of an uncomfortable situation. For example, you have to return an important missed call.
Take a Self Defense Class
Check with your broker to see if they would be willing to host a self-defense class at your office or call your local police department for additional class resources.
Download Safety Apps
There are dozens of safety apps for your phone that are specifically designed with REALTORS in mind. The majority of these apps provide GPS locating to your broker or emergency contacts when you’re out showing and let you enter in information about who you are meeting. The Nationals Association of REALTORs has a great list of safety apps on their website.
Make sure to check with your brokerage for any security measures that they have put into place.
For more real estate safety tips, visit nar.realtor/safety
Source: nvar.com, nar.realtor