Keeping Safe During Showings

All agents need to consider their safety during showings, especially with the rise of vacant and foreclosed homes. The market is rife with short sales and foreclosures, and there's good business to be had there. But getting that business may entail showing vacant homes to strange men in bad neighborhoods. Crimes against Realtors are not unheard of and have actually become more frequent. Take bold steps to be safe.

1. Stand on the curb outside and wait for a prospective buyer to arrive. Keep your cell phone in your hand and call your office receptionist. Speak loudly enough to be heard by the client and tell your receptionist or coworker where you are and who you are meeting. Be sure to give the clients name, the address of the showing and a description of the car. It may annoy the client, but simply explain that this is company policy. Having heard this information given to a third party, the client is less likely to become an assailant.

2. Create a system with your office using code words. A good system is the "file system". If you feel at risk during a showing, call your receptionist and ask them to pull the "red file" on the address you are showing. The term "red file" will be a code for "Call the Police".


3. Never show a house when the office is closed. If you do, you lose part of your protection. Also, avoid showings at night.

4. Follow your intuition. If you feel very uncomfortable, don't go in the house. Open the door and step aside to let the client in. Tell them if they have any questions to come outside and speak with you. The point is to stay in public where the possibility of witnesses will deter an attack.

As foreclosures continue to swell in the market and agents find themselves showing vacant homes, we want to know YOUR methods for assuring your own safety or that of your agents during these showings. Please share your strategies with your fellow agents and let us know your best method for avoiding danger.