A Brief Note on Safety for National Safety Month!

Did you know that there is a such a thing as National Safety Month? It’s true! Observed ​annually in June, National Safety Month focuses on reducing leading causes of injury at work, on the road and in our homes and communities. ​

There are several resources available for the real estate community, with one good resource being the National Association of Realtor’s Realtor® Safety page. Amongst their articles and ideas, you have the option to download a toolkit and Safety Checklist for Showings – check out their page, here.

The San Antonio police department also gave us this handy list of Realtor Safety Tips for your consideration:

Realtor Safety Tips From the San Antonio Police Department

1. OFFENDING SOMEONE BY USE OF THESE TIPS IS SECONDARY TO YOUR SAFETY. If you must have an excuse, simply say, “My broker sets these rules for me and I don’t want to get into trouble.”

2. Don’t meet a prospect for the first time at a house. Tell them to come by your office for copy of an I.D. and a questionnaire.

3. When possible, bring someone with you to a showing. It can be another agent or a friend.

4. If you must go alone, make sure someone knows where you are. Don’t stop with the Showing Service. Tell someone exactly where you are at all times. Give that person as many identifiers as possible about your prospect, (license plate, name, etc…)

5. Whether it’s true or not, let a prospect believe “Someone will be here any second to meet with you to review documents, get a signature, take pictures, etc…”

6. WHEN IN DOUBT, GET OUT. Familiarize yourself with as many exits to the house as possible. Try to leave them open during your showing and try to stay near one at all times.

7. While showing the house, stay aware of your immediate surroundings and personal space. Don’t follow your prospect too closely, and let them maintain a safe distance from you. Don’t get “cornered” in a tight spot or confined space. You don’t have to go into every room with them. Let your voice guide them there if necessary.

8. If you do choose a form of personal defense (Martial Arts, CHL, Pepper Spray, etc…) Make sure you become proficient, know its limitations, and its appropriate uses. Alo remember it CAN be used against you.

9. Don’t carry expensive purses, excessive cash/credit cards, or flashy jewelry. It is best to leave these in your trunk or at the office.

10. Please don’t be that agent who says, “If only I would have listened to my instincts.” This is all too common.

If something doesn’t “feel right”, there’s a chance it ISN’T right. Don’t get so caught up in a prospective sale that your ignore these tips. Don’t be afraid to turn down or walk away from a showing. We thought we’d get an instructor to chime in with his thoughts and recruited Dallas instructor (and CSRE Blogger!) Randy Smith to give us a brief note on safety:

A Brief Note on Safety

Today, just like tomorrow, literally thousands of homes will be shown by real estate agents across the country, and this will happen incident free. So all in all, and overall, our industry is safe because we follow our common sense and instinct, we never place something like a ‘showing’ as more important than our life and we do whatever we can to be aware and alert to the harmful possibilities around us.

Having been in this business now spanning three decades, I find that when it comes to safety in our business, it always comes back to common sense, awareness, and alertness. We talk about safety in almost everyone of the NAR Designation and Certification classes, because safety is important.

There’s not a listing opportunity nor a buyer opportunity worth more than your life, and there never will be. When it comes to making that common sense decision to show or not show, to work with that person or not, follow your heart before your head, because your heart is where that common sense and notion resides, and represents that which points our way.

Listen to it, and when coupled with the guidelines and training we should all be aware of, odds are great that you’ll remain safe.

Stay safe always! – Randy Smith