Ten Safety Tips for Real Estate Agents
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Working in the real estate industry comes with unique personal safety challenges, putting agents in potentially risky situations that are not common in many other careers. To help mitigate these risks and ensure your safety, here are ten essential personal safety tips for real estate agents:
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Meet Clients at the Office First: Before showing properties, meet new clients at your office or a public place to verify their identity and establish rapport. Never go to a new client’s home alone for your first meeting. When meeting for the first time, always take a picture or make a photocopy of their ID for security records.
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Share Your Schedule: Inform a colleague, friend, or family member of your schedule, including the locations and times of your property showings. Use a shared calendar app if possible. Keeping your schedule accessible to family and co-workers will not only allow them to alert police much faster if your schedule is off, it will also allow them to provide law enforcement with a record of your daily routes and interactions.
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Have an Emergency Code Word: Establish a check-in system with your tribe and regularly update someone on your whereabouts and progress. Have a plan in place for emergencies. Agree on a code word or phrase to use in case of emergency. If you need to call your emergency person and use the code word, they will know exactly where you are and what to do. Be sure to set up this system with more than one person in case they are unavailable at the time you make an emergency call for help.
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Use a Safety App: Utilize personal safety apps that offer features like emergency alerts, GPS tracking, and one-touch emergency dialing to keep you connected and protected. There are several great options available for both iPhone and Android.
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Be Cautious with Personal Information: Avoid sharing too much personal information with clients. Use a dedicated business phone number and email address for communication. Always keep your business social media and personal profiles separate and secured.
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Trust Your Instincts: If a situation or person makes you feel uncomfortable, trust your instincts and remove yourself from the situation. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Rehearse a few good excuses to leave beforehand so that you are not caught off guard and panic in the moment.
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Secure Open Houses: Arrive early to inspect the property and ensure all entry points are secure. Keep all doors and windows locked except for the main entry used for the open house.
When showing commercial or vacant property, always preview the floor plan beforehand so that you are aware of any potential hiding places or high-risk scenarios on the property. Prepare accordingly and bring a co-worker with you for additional safety if necessary.
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Park for Quick Exit: Park your car in a way that allows for a quick and easy exit. Avoid being blocked in by other vehicles and ensure your car keys are easily accessible.
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Carry Self-Defense Tools: Carry non-lethal self-defense tools such as pepper spray, a stun gun, or a knife. Ensure you know how to use them effectively and keep them within easy reach.
Practicing regularly with your self-defense weapon is critical to your protection. You need to be able to access and activate your weapon with speed and accuracy in order to defend you and your clients effectively.
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Stay Aware and Alert: Always be aware of your surroundings and stay alert. Avoid distractions like excessive phone use or wearing headphones while walking to and from properties.
When showing properties, be looking for emergency exits you can take, through a door or window, as you and your client move through the property. Knowing the floor plan beforehand is a great benefit to your security as well as your preparation for a great showing.
