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You know, I've heard of this happening before in Atlanta (agent was raped).
Guess it goes with dealing with the public. Shouldn't...but it does. What a horrible thing to happen.
Always meet a client for the first time in the office. Introduce him or her to coworkers and make it clear that they know you are taking him out of the office. Try to take separate cars but if that is not possible you will have slightly more control if you drive. Do not meet a client at the property, particularly if he is calling on a yard sign. He will already have had a chance to note if the property is vacant.
Get a license plate number and leave it at the front desk. Just explain that it is office policy; a customer who means no harm won't mind. You might also leave an itinerary for your house tour.
Don't identify a property as vacant to a caller on an ad or sign.
When showing property to a stranger, follow rather than lead him through the house. Don't let him get between you and the door. At an open house, take up a position as close to the door as practical.
Always carry a cell phone where it is easily accessible (not in the purse you left in the car or stowed in a kitchen cabinet.) Make sure emergency numbers are programmed into the speed dial.
Ask the office manager to control keys to the office and to place deadbolts on the doors. If you are alone in the office at night draw the shades and do not admit anyone you do not know well and trust.
Go with your gut. If something doesn't feel right, if anything raises the hair on the back of your neck escape the situation immediately. You might feel like an idiot but don't worry about it.
Police have also noted an increase in crimes where a woman sets up the victim, even for sexual assault. Women agents tend to be much more trusting of another female and let down their guard. Until you really know a customer, remain vigilant regardless of the gender, appearance, dress, or charm. It could save your life.
Police have also noted an increase in crimes where a woman sets up the victim, even for sexual assault. Women agents tend to be much more trusting of another female and let down their guard.Until you really know a customer, remain vigilant regardless of the gender, appearance, dress, or charm. It could save your life.
70Ford, what an excellent service you've done to provide those tips!! And I think the police advice about women NOT trusting women they don't know well, is also really important for us women to remember. Thank you!!
Always good for the reminders.
For some reason I'm more spooked showing a house, than I am remote vacant land.
I have been known to open the door for a person (vacant house) and ask them to feel free to look around, that I would wait outside. I may even explain why. If they're any kind of decent human they would understand why. oh yeah, there was a post on famous people customers. I just remembered, I did spend about a week with an old movie star and his mom and dad(deceased now) are very famous even to this day. He was one I would not go in the house with and I told him why. He was ok with it. Of course after about a week with him I didn't mind going in a place with him, but I did not on day one. He was a piece of work, finally after he met my boyfriend he just kind of melted away. I think he was one of those looking for a broker to go with the house deals.
I wouldn't want to see anyone get hurt but if i was a buyer and noticed all this, and I would notice, I'd feel very negatively toward that realtor.
For comparison, when I was younger I taught art to inmates at a maximum security prison in Massachusetts. I walked into the prison every time, by myself, no gun or whatever, and taught a class to some of the most heinous criminals in the Commonwealth, many of them lifers with nothing to lose.
Again, I wouldn't want to see anyone get hurt, but I think the above list is excessive and creepy. I wouldn't be having a good business relationship with that realtor.
Personally, I think pre-qualification does the trick. If they're serious they'll get pq up front. Giving that personal info to a lender is great protection. I only show properties to motivated pq buyers.
Personally, I think pre-qualification does the trick. If they're serious they'll get pq up front. Giving that personal info to a lender is great protection. I only show properties to motivated pq buyers.
I am with you on this.
I am amazed at Realtors who bolt out the door to meet strangers at a house.
It's a personal safety issue as well as looking out for the best interests of a homeowner to say nothing of the time wasted on buyers who have no intention of buying anything, from anyone.
I wouldn't want to see anyone get hurt but if i was a buyer and noticed all this, and I would notice, I'd feel very negatively toward that realtor.
For comparison, when I was younger I taught art to inmates at a maximum security prison in Massachusetts. I walked into the prison every time, by myself, no gun or whatever, and taught a class to some of the most heinous criminals in the Commonwealth, many of them lifers with nothing to lose.
Again, I wouldn't want to see anyone get hurt, but I think the above list is excessive and creepy. I wouldn't be having a good business relationship with that realtor.
I would feel safer teaching in a prison than I would taking strangers into my car or a home. The most heinous criminals were all once free and committed vicious crimes to wind up in prison.
It's a personal safety issue as well as that of safeguarding the owner's home. I once had to leave an Open House because one guy came in the front door while his buddy entered through the back door and both were in my face.
I trusted my gut and walked out the front door, in my socks and called the Police. They both left on foot, shortly thereafter. Fortunately, nothing was stolen and I was not harmed.
Personally, I think pre-qualification does the trick. If they're serious they'll get pq up front. Giving that personal info to a lender is great protection. I only show properties to motivated pq buyers.
This makes the most sense to me, And a seller practicing due diligence by removing valuables from public access, etc.
I wouldn't want to see anyone get hurt but if i was a buyer and noticed all this, and I would notice, I'd feel very negatively toward that realtor.
For comparison, when I was younger I taught art to inmates at a maximum security prison in Massachusetts. I walked into the prison every time, by myself, no gun or whatever, and taught a class to some of the most heinous criminals in the Commonwealth, many of them lifers with nothing to lose.
Again, I wouldn't want to see anyone get hurt, but I think the above list is excessive and creepy. I wouldn't be having a good business relationship with that realtor.
I'm thinking you obviously have not had much time working with the public.
There are sane people, strange people, weird people, too weird people, and those you just can't figure out just having met after 10 minutes.
That's what we get sometimes, 10 minutes to decide to go alone in a house or in the boonies!
I've liked lots of people in 10 minutes, but if you shut up and listen to them for 20 minutes, you'd be amazed what might come out of their mouths!
They're not inmates with their guns and knives taken away either and with guards standing around to yell for help if you need it.
After having enough "alone time" with the kind of weird but "trusting" folks that end up chasing you around your desk or stalking you later, you might tend to weigh on the side of conservative and go with "show yourself" in a vacant home.
If you think about it, you must have done something right enough in the safe environment to have a good enough rapport where your people who do not think it weird to show themselves in a vacant house and especially if you're as a straight shooter as I am, might even tell them why.
They just respect you all the more, BEFORE they go in alone. They understand you've only known each other for a few minutes, a woman, and not to mention damn good looking.
We are also no matter where we are in my neck of the woods in a rural or remote location. Yeah, their ok with it believe it or not and have never seen me as weird. They just want to marry me later and invite me to live in their new house.
I've shown folks from MA property too. They are a diff. sort. I've never felt threatened by them in the least, but I'll agree they do have a diff. way of thinking.
As a side note on that. I showed remote land to a man who flew out from Ma. Yep, didn't trust that guy. Asked for his drivers license to fax to the main office, took down his tag # before I'd take him to remote you know where. By the end of the day we were great friends. Since then he's moved to NM, and we've been together as an item for 8 years now.
Now he's the one I call to come on creepy appt's with me now. He's a great example that people in the south can find people in the east they can trust.
Just kidding, but true story.
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