Selling Houses Without Selling Out on Safety - 10 Ways Women Realtors Can Stay Safe
Hey there, powerhouse realtors! 🏡 If you're a female realtor, you know that apart from needing to know the difference between a Colonial and a Cape Cod, you also need to have a solid safety plan. Why? Because the world's not always sunshine and open houses. But fear not! September is Realtor Safety Month and we’re getting a jump on it! We've got you covered with some top-notch tips to ensure you’re selling houses without compromising on your safety.
Most Realtors are Female Entrepreneurs
These tips can actually help all realtors, so you can share these with your male colleagues. But according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 66% of all realtors are female. And women have comprised the majority of realtors since 1978! So, let’s see how you entrepreneur queen realtors can stay safe!
10 Tips for Realtor Safety
Trust Those Gut Feelings: Ladies, your safety intuition is basically your internal alarm system. We write more about it here. If something feels off, it probably is. It's not just last night's burrito or your imagination talking. Listen to it!
Buddy System is the Best System: Why go solo when you can double the fun (and double the safety)? Have a colleague or friend accompany you to house showings, especially if it's a new client or a secluded property. That isn’t always possible, we get it. But if you are alone in a property with a male, you don’t need to follow him through the place, you can just wait by the front door. Also use the Buddy System for Open Houses... unscrupulous characters can make note of advertised open houses and watch the traffic at the house for when you might be alone. Do them in pairs!
Meet Before You Greet: Before you meet someone at a property, have them come to the office first. This way, your colleagues know who you’re with and can get a feel for them too. Also, Make a copy of the prospective client's driver's license for yourself and for the receptionist at your office. If anything happens, then the office will know who you're with, and the buyer will know they do. If they insist on meeting you at a home without coming to the office first, ask them to email their drivers license to you. If they won't, you know something's not right!
Keep it Bright and Light: Schedule showings during daylight hours. Besides, who wants to show a house in the dark?
Tech is Your BFF: There are a bunch of safety apps out there designed for realtors. They can send alerts, track your location, or even record audio discreetly. Welcome to the future, where safety is just a tap away.
Plan Your Escape: Not to sound all James Bond-y, but always know your exits in a home. If things go south, you should know your way out, minus the dramatic soundtrack.
Park Smart: Never let your car get boxed in. Park on the street or in a way that you can quickly make a getaway if needed.
Personal Info? Nope: Be like a vault when it comes to personal details. Your client needs to know about the property, not whether you're single, have three cats, or love salsa dancing on Fridays.
Hands-Free is the Way to Be: Wear ear pods to make and take calls but keep them in transparent mode so you can talk and hear what the client is saying. This not only keeps your calls private, but also leaves your hands free, which is essential if you need to open doors or, you know, fend off unexpected surprises.
Keep Personal Defense Tools Close at Hand: There are three easy tools that you can have at hand. Joy talked about these with Kirsten Joyce for KLAS TV Las Vegas. Here’s what we recommend (links to tools highlighted below):
Pepper spray/gel: Spray it right at their face. This particular model also contains UV dye to mark the person for later identification by the police - similar to the dye used to mark money in banks.
Tactical pen: It’s a real pen that can be used to fend off an attacker; made of hardened aluminum. Stab them in the hand or any other vulnerable place.
Handheld flashlight: Small enough to fit in your hand. Great for power failures, but also fits in your hand and can be used as a weapon. Shine it in someone’s eyes if you’re in trouble. They won’t expect it, and it will temporarily blind and disorient them. Use that time to make your getaway.
So, there you have it! As a fierce and fabulous female realtor, your safety should always come first. And with these tips, you're not just selling houses; you're making sure the only thing you're risking is a potential buyer saying no. And remember, ladies: while you're out there making those sales, don't let anyone sell you short on your safety! 💁♀️💪🔑🏡
