Real Estate Safety-Be Prepared When Holding Open Houses

Posted on July 1, 2009 
Filed Under Realtor Open House, Realtor Safety Awareness, Realtor Safety Tips

She looks so happy go-lucky without a care in the world!  What do you think she would do if confronted by a prospect who turns out to be a violent perpetrator??     

When you schedule an Open House with your clients, do you give much thought to your personal safety?  When your new construction builder asks you to work an Open House in an isolated subdivision or development, do you give much thought to what you would do if confronted or attacked by a perpetrator or predator that unexpectedly shows up at your Open House?

Many realtors work Open Houses by themselves.  However, with crime on the rise against real estate agents – especially women - the trend may be moving towards working as teams or at least having someone else with you (a spouse or a friend) during your time at the Open House.

If you are like many agents, you may never have experienced a confrontation with a potential client so personal safety may not be high on your priority list.  If you live in a city with a very low crime rate, the tendency may be to shrug off the thought of being attacked thinking “it won’t happen to me”.  This type of thinking may cause you to let your guard down leaving you vulnerable and at risk to being attacked because you didn’t recognize potential danger signs.

Whether meeting clients in their home to take a listing, showing homes to new prospects, or holding Open Houses  – what can you do to stay safe on the job and make yourself less of a target to the criminal predator?

First you must be Prepared and have a Personal Safety Plan of Action!  Be prepared - both mentally and physically - for the unexpected situation (and hope it will never happen).  But if it does, you are now prepared and have developed a safety plan of action to know exactly what you will do if put in a dangerous, confrontational situation.

One of my first recommendations for real estate agents and those who perform in-home sales/services is to take a woman’s self-defense class. The RAD Self-Defense training for women is a tremendous way to learn how to protect and defend yourself in an attack/assault situation.  Being physically prepared and knowing what to do to protect yourself is a valuable tool to have.

Consider carrying some type of a personal protection device like pepper spray, mace spray, TASER C2 or a personal alarm in the event you feel threatened or are attacked.  Your main objective with non-lethal protection is to throw off the attacker enough so you can get away to safety and alert the police.

You can checkout a complete selection of Personal Protection Products at http://www.ThePersonalSecurityStore.com.

Remember, your personal safety should be a #1 concern.  Being prepared and knowing how to protect yourself on-the-job - whether holding an Open House or showing property to clients - is a valuable tool to have.

Stay Aware…Stay Alert…Stay Alive!

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Comments

2 Responses to “Real Estate Safety-Be Prepared When Holding Open Houses”

  1. Self Defense Products on July 8th, 2009 6:47 pm

    real estate open house are an invitation to trouble. Make sure you have some self defense products with you and your cell phone. Never turn your back on a client in a house showing or open house. You just never know who/what they are.

  2. Real Estate Agent Safety & Self-Defense Awareness | Self-Defense With An Attitude on September 3rd, 2009 1:14 pm

    […] when his imminent attack is coming. The agent on the other agent may have a proactive safety plan in place should something like that happen.   That plan should include being a […]

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