5 Safety Tips for Real Estate Agents

While real estate agents generally report feeling very safe on the job, there have been several reported cases over the last few years where realtors were brutally attacked.

When you think about it, being a realtor does put you in potentially hazardous situations. From being alone in an open house, to meeting customers for the first time in front of an empty property, to driving with new clients to home showings, all of these are potentially risky situations if the “client” has malice in mind.

That’s why it’s important to be prepared – without allowing fear to compromise your ability to do your job.

Here are a few real estate agent safety tips:

1. Don’t trust new clients until you get to know them. The first meeting with a new client should take place in your office and not in remote location. You should also verify a new client’s information prior to beginning working with them.

2. If possible, it’s best to drive to locations separately. In addition, when showing a property to a new client, follow him into the house rather than leading him in.

3. Always carry a cell phone with you, and program it to dial 911 at the touch of a button. It’s also a good idea to always carry pepper spray or mace.

4. Every morning, give someone in your office an itinerary of the properties you plan to show that day and check back with the office often. Office staff should know to call you if they haven’t heard from you in a couple of hours.

5. Most importantly: trust your instincts. If a situation, or a person, seems suspicious, get out of there immediately. You can always apologize later and explain what happened, but it’s definitely better to be safe than sorry.