Working as a real estate agent offers a dynamic work environment, with frequent travel to listing locations and new client meetings. Safety is a common concern among agents as they visit new, unknown sites and people. We’ve put together a list to help real estate agents stay safe on the job:
Show properties before dark: With a busy schedule during the day, it can be hard to plan a showing in the morning hours. However, as a real estate agent, safety is a priority. Real estate agents should purposefully schedule appointments for a showing or conduct an open house before dark. Scheduling appointments before dark will act as an important safety measure for realtors. Showing properties before dark can also help realtors that are not familiar with the area of their showing. Once the showing is over, it will be much easier to navigate out of the area.
Inform Colleagues of Your Location. In the event that a real estate agent needs to leave their home or office to meet with a client, they need to inform someone of their whereabouts. This is vital for safety reasons. Suppose an incident occurred with the realtor that threatened their safety, someone trusted should know of the realtor’s final destination. It can also be useful for real estate agents to create a safe word with their colleagues beforehand. This way, a colleague may be able to help a realtor get out of a dangerous situation.
Request Client Identification. Before going to show clients’ homes, real estate agents need to ensure that their clients are identified. Realtors want to avoid meeting with clients that are completely unknown and undocumented because it is a safety hazard. Clients should stop by their realtor’s office to ensure they are properly identified. During this time, the realtor can request to copy their client’s I.D. in the event that the client needs to be identified.
Keep It Professional. Giving too much personal information is a safety issue in any situation. Realtors want to avoid giving personal information that will reveal sensitive information to clients. Although realtors do often forge a bond with their clients, it still needs to stay professional. Realtors should avoid giving out more information than what can be found on their business card. That means that any additional information beyond name, phone number, and place of work should be reconsidered to avoid a safety issue.
Be aware of the surrounding area: Before a realtor goes into an unknown area, it is important to become familiar with it. Driving to the location of a showing or checking out a property a day before scheduled will be beneficial. This way, real estate agents can see the property beforehand and get to know the area.
For more real estate agent tips from the pros, visit the Official Real Estate Agent blog today!
