Tips and Common Sense Advice

When Arkansas Realtor® Beverly Carter was kidnapped and murdered last year, the brutal crime galvanized many Realtors® and brokers to revisit their approach to personal safety for themselves and their clients. National Association of Realtors® 2015 President Chris Polychron, himself an Arkansas Realtor®, opted to make safety a prime mission for his term. While there’s no doubt that Realtors® face unique challenges in terms of personal safety, since part of their job is to consistently meet new people and go to unfamiliar places, thankfully most Realtors® do not become crime victims.

NAR’s 2015 Realtor® Safety Report found that 96 percent of members said they have not been victimized while working as a Realtor®, and 60 percent said they had not felt fear for their personal safety or for the protection of their personal information. 
“Safety has always been a priority for NAR, but we realized that people get comfortable in their practices and sometimes they need to be reminded of the resources we can provide,” says Sara Wiskerchen, managing director of media communications for NAR. 
New resources developed by NAR include weekly safety tips, new classes for state and local offices to offer and safety panels at the mid-year and annual NAR conferences. In addition, NAR has a video with tips about how to safely show a home.

“This is the only profession where you have to meet strangers in an empty house, so it’s important to remove as much risk from that process as possible,” says Kansas City, Missouri-based security expert Tracey Hawkins, known as “The Safety and Security Lady.” 

NVAR’s own survey of its members earlier this year found that fewer than half of members (47.69 percent) believe that the real estate industry is becoming less safe, while 52.31 percent think that’s not true.  Even those Realtors® who feel confident about their personal safety are taking steps to protect themselves and reduce their exposure to a potential crime. In addition, they’re offering advice to help their seller clients avoid being victimized while their home is on the market. View NVAR survey results at go.nvar.com/safetyresults.

“This is the only profession where you have to meet strangers in an empty house, so it’s important to remove as much risk from that process as possible.”

REALTOR® SAFETY CONCERNS 
NVAR’s March safety survey revealed that Realtors® feel the most vulnerable if they have never met someone before showing a house (46.15 percent) and when an unknown person calls to see a house (41.21 percent). In addition, Realtors® feel safer in the daytime, with few (2.75 percent) expressing a sense of vulnerability when showing a home in the morning or afternoon, compared to 37.36 percent feeling vulnerable showing a house at night. Other concerns expressed by NVAR members were feeling vulnerable meeting a client at a house alone (31.87 percent) and feeling vulnerable at an open house (29.67 percent). 
Realtors® and their brokers have a variety of techniques and tools they use to overcome these concerns.

BROKER POLICIES TO PROTECT REALTORS®
Talking about safety at weekly sales meetings and bringing in safety experts for training sessions should be done frequently, says Angela Rose, CEO and team leader of Keller Williams Realty in Arlington. Rose takes security issues personally, since she was kidnapped and sexually assaulted as a teenager.
“Safety isn’t a ‘one-and-done’ topic. It’s something we need to continuously remind each other about taking seriously,” says Rose.

Lorraine Arora, managing broker of Weichert, Realtors® in Fairfax, says signs are posted at the front desk and at all open houses that state the company policy that new clients need to have their driver’s license copied and must meet an agent in the office or in a public place. According to NVAR’s safety survey, just 24.16 percent of members require clients to leave a copy of their ID at the agent’s office.
“We also insist that all open houses be held in pairs because it’s better to have company in case there’s trouble,” says Arora. 

Just 24.16 percent of members who responded to NVAR’s Safety Survey said that they require another person to accompany them while hosting an open house.
“I often have someone visit me during an open house, and I make sure to introduce myself to the neighbors,” says Heather Embrey, an associate broker with McEnearney Associates in McLean. “If the house is tucked away in the woods or at the end of a long driveway, then I’ll have someone stay with me. If you can’t find a Realtor® to do an open house with you, I think asking a lender is a great idea.”

Embrey says she once ran into a squatter in the basement of an empty house she was previewing, but that time her husband was with her. She says she won’t preview a vacant house alone. 
Embrey uses security cameras during her open houses, which she purchased for about $30.

“People are on their best behavior when they know they’re being filmed, so I make sure there are signs that tell them there are security cameras in use,” says Embrey. “They don’t have sound and we’re not leaving them constantly running, just during the open house hours. I can’t be everywhere during an open house. Hopefully the fear that someone will be caught on camera keeps them from snooping or stealing.”

In Virginia, you don’t have to announce that you’re videotaping as long as the homeowners approve, says Private First Class Katy Defoe, a crime prevention specialist with the Reston District Station of the Fairfax County Police Department. 
Realtors® do occasionally notice someone stealing or exploring the personal belongings of the homeowners, but Defoe says the best thing you can do is be observant. Call 911, snap a photo or write down their license plate number and provide a description of the person, she says. 

“I always tell agents to put their safety in front of someone else’s feelings,” says Jon Wolford, branch vice president of McEnearney Associates in McLean. “Realtors® need to be direct, but they should never put property above their personal safety. It’s better to have a call from an irate client than to have a call from the police or a family member that something has happened to an agent.”

BEST SAFETY PRACTICES FOR REALTORS®
Rose believes that everyone should rely on their gut instinct. She says that when she was abducted, she saw the man follow her to her car and believed that something was wrong. She ignored the feeling because she thought something so terrible couldn’t actually happen to her.
 
* Call police whenever you feel threatened. “If you think to yourself ‘Should I call the police?’ then you should,” says Defoe. “If you talk yourself out of it, it could be too late.”
Defoe says people sometimes think they shouldn’t bother the police. She says the police would rather get calls and check them out and have them turn out to be nothing than to not get a call and have a crime take place.

“Safety isn’t a ‘one-and-done’ topic. It’s something we need to continuously remind each other about taking seriously.”

* Meet at a neutral location. “The number one rule should be that you need to know who you’re dealing with before you go with them to an empty home,” says Hawkins. According to NVAR’s survey, 48.88 percent of members insist on meeting in the office or a public place. 
* Tell someone where you are meeting the person and when. Whether you alert a colleague, a spouse or a friend, someone should know where you are at all times. Nearly 73 percent  of NVAR members take this step. 
* Search for information online about a prospective client. According to NVAR’s survey, 41 percent of members do this. 
* Use “Red Folder” or another code for distress. “Realtors® should always share a buzzword or code with people in their office or with a friend or family member. They can call that person and say something like ‘I left the red folder for the house at 123 Main Street’ or wherever they are, and that will trigger an emergency call to the police without alerting someone nearby,” says Defoe. “It’s important to make sure you have that code or buzzword in place with someone who will be available when you need them.”
* Keep your cell phone charged and in your hand. “The best weapon is your cell phone GPS and your ability to call others if you need help,” says Defoe. 
* Consider using security cameras. “A sign that says ‘Smile you’re being videotaped’ can be a great deterrent to someone thinking about stealing something,” says Wolford. 
* Drive and park so you can get away. Arora also reminds agents to drive separately from their clients for extra protection from predators. 
“Park so you can’t be blocked in by another car in case you need to get away,” says Defoe. “Park on the street instead of in the driveway.”
* Let buyers go first. “It may not come naturally, but it’s always better to let someone go in front of you and let them go into the basement or attic alone,” says Rose. 
* Know how to get out of the house. Arora says agents should check out the doors and windows in a home before starting an open house. 
* Be aware of your appearance. “Realtors® need to present a professional appearance, but they also need to avoid flashing expensive jewelry that could make them a target for thieves,” says Wolford. 
Hawkins says Realtors® sometimes allow inappropriate images of themselves to be used as marketing tools, such as a “sexiest agent” contest. This could attract the wrong kind of attention. 

“It’s always better to avoid a bad situation rather than think you can protect yourself with self-defense classes or a weapon."

“People think real estate agents are rich, and of course agents need to show that they’re successful. However, they need to be aware that this means they’re targeted by criminals,” says Hawkins. 
* Make people sign in. Tracking visitors to an open house can act as a deterrent to criminals or help police find someone if an item is stolen. 

TECH TOOLS AND PROTECTIVE GEAR FOR REALTORS®
“It’s always better to avoid a bad situation rather than think you can protect yourself with self-defense classes or a weapon,” says Arora. “If you don’t know how to use something right, it can be used against you.”
While Rose carries pepper spray, she agrees that it’s important to learn how to use it properly.

“Recently there was a real estate agent in Gilbert, Arizona who was sexually assaulted. Even though she carries pepper spray and has taken boxing and self-defense classes, she says she froze when she was attacked,” says Hawkins. “The best thing you can do is to avoid any situation when you would need to use self-defense.” 

However, Hawkins says some tools and technology can help Realtors® protect themselves. For instance, she says if buyers cannot meet in your office, you can have a virtual meeting via Skype or Facetime and let them know you’re saving a screenshot in your files along with a copy of their driver’s license. 
Hawkins says apps that you can use to alert someone that you’re in trouble can be helpful, but she says they only work if you have your phone in your hand and have the app open.

“One app that I think is best for real estate agents is called ‘My Force’,” says Hawkins. “I encourage agents to try it out for free first. Basically, it turns your whole screen into a button so all you do is touch the front of your phone and it opens a microphone with a live person at the other end who can contact law enforcement. It also records the call.”
Rose says a fake call app can also be helpful because if your phone rings you may be able to get out of a potentially dangerous situation or at least use the moment with the phone to call for help.

“Our feedback from members is that getting information about safety is extremely important to them, but changing their practices can be very hard,” says Wiskerchen. “It’s easy to slip back when you’re busy, so we’re emphasizing the importance of safety to help them stick to best practices.”

SAFETY TIPS TO SHARE WITH SELLERS
Hawkins says showing sellers how to be safer when their home is on the market can be a marketing tool for agents.

“Realtors® should take a positive approach with sellers and tell them, ‘We don’t expect anything to happen, but let’s be proactive and take a few steps to protect your home’,” says Rose. 
* Lock up or remove prescription drugs before an open house or showing.
* Lock up or remove valuables such as jewelry, weapons, small electronics, laptops and even mail. “Tell homeowners not to wait for something to go missing,” says Wiskerchen. “Even trinkets that have sentimental value should be locked away.”
* Be more vigilant than ever about keeping your doors and windows locked.
* Consider investing in a security system while your home is on the market.
* Remove family photos to avoid attracting a stalker.
* Make sure your home is well-lit at night. 
* Don’t let strangers into your home without an agent.

SAFETY RESOURCES
NAR Video: Staying Safe While Meeting Strangers – http://www.realtor.org/videos/staying-safe-while-meeting-strangers 
NAR Member Safety Report: http://www.realtor.org/sites/default/files/reports/2015/2015-member-safety-report-2015-03-02-updated.pdf
NAR Seller Safety Tips: http://realtormag.realtor.org/sales-and-marketing/feature/article/2014/09/safety-talk-you-need-have-clients
Tracey The Safety Lady Site: http://www.safetyandsecuritysource.com/
My Force App for Realtors®: www.RealEstateSafety.MyForce.com 
Angela Rose article: http://www.hlntv.com/article/2014/10/01/beverly-carter-realtor-death-safety-tips 

Michele Lerner, a freelance writer based in the Washington, D.C. area, has been writing about real estate and personal finance for more than 20 years for print and online publications.