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I seldom reblog, but this is an important message. September is Realtor Safety Month.
This is not a minor thing. We meet strangers in strange places for a living. There are news stories of our colleagues being assaulted and killed. I was once assaulted- by a client- an imbalanced one- and there was a huge theft at an open house I hosted once.
There are bad people out there. Precautions should be taken, and that is not a sometimes thing, it is an always thing. Read on.
September is Realtor Safety month. We have talked about this topic several times in meetings this month. There are lots of free handouts on Realtor.org for you to use in sales meetings and training meetings. Safety is something we should never take for granted.
Make time in your office to develop a program of safety ideas for agents while in the office and when showing property. Even going to take a listing, requires being careful. Know who owns the home before you go to meet them. Pull up the Tax Information, pull MLS data, neighborhood information, go prepared. You might be meeting someone other than the owner.
Always let someone know where you are going, when you will return, who is with you. Introduce your prospects to other people at the office. Use your car signs and your name badge so people who see you doing your job will know who you are and what you are doing and where.
Always park on the street, so a quick departure is possible. Keep your cell phone with you and charged at all times. Learn to get license plate numbers without even thinking. Walk behind your clients.
One of the best things to do is Pre-Qualify your prospects. Not only does it help to make sales but it is also for Safety Sake. You will know lots more about the people you put in your car if they are Pre-Qualified and if they had something bad in mind for you, guess what? They will walk out the door and say forget it.
Real estate agents are harmed every year, some even lose their lives. Our business is usually safe but there are times when we are put in some dangerous positions. You never know when it might happen to you, so be prepared. Think about Safety before you need to and if something does happen you will know better how to deal with it. Work a plan out at the office with code words that you can call in for help without the prospects knowing you are calling for help. If it doesn’t feel right, don’t be afraid to call.
Ricki Eichler Real Estate, your Texas Hill Country connection www.reretx.com
511 Junction Hwy Kerrville, TX (830)257-2520
