Texas Murder Raises Concerns For Real Estate Agent Safety

RE:Texas Murder Raises Concerns For Real Estate Agent Safety

Dean — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 11:00:00 GMT

I am renting a house that was recently put on the market by the home owner. I am not finding anything online regarding tenants being able to protect themselves from prospective buyers. I would like to request ID of the prospective buyers. Does anyone else have other ideas, please.

RE:Texas Murder Raises Concerns For Real Estate Agent Safety

Pat — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 11:00:00 GMT

I am an agent in a metro Atlanta county, and believe that I had a near miss this week. A man called to see a vacant listing (he'd picked up a flyer at the house). When I insisted that we first meet at my office, his calls became obscene. He called me numerous times from different numbers. Our local police are not concerned, nor is our local board of REALTORS or multiple listing services, so, I was unable to warn anyone outside my office. I hope an inexperienced agent does not fall for it.

RE:Texas Murder Raises Concerns For Real Estate Agent Safety

Rebecca — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 11:00:00 GMT

I think it should be mandatory for all buyers to have to give a copy of their drivers license at the office. There should be laws or office rules to protect us. It is mind boggling that there are no laws yet to protect the agent out there.

RE:Texas Murder Raises Concerns For Real Estate Agent Safety

Ronald — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 11:00:00 GMT

Avoid complacency, dress professionally, avoid glamour shot photo's, watch for off color comments, suggestions or remarks and even compliments. Don't wear shear clothes, tight clothes, revealing or suggestive clothes. Leave the fancy jewelry at home take only the cash and credit cards you need. Self defense: Insert fingers in you mouth and vomit. Place on Alka Seltzer tablet in your mouth, siliva will foam like a sizeure. Index finger & pinky plunged forcefully into the eyes. Call-in hourly.

RE:Texas Murder Raises Concerns For Real Estate Agent Safety

April — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 13:00:00 GMT

I am a RE agent and I was amazed about the posts of agents letting the general public use the bathroom during an open house. That is a big no no. You simply explain that the home is the home of a client and as such the bathrooms are for use by the homeowner only. Simply smile and say sorry but the homeowners do not want others using their bathroom. People will understand, if they don't then they were up to no good or just plain rude.

RE:Texas Murder Raises Concerns For Real Estate Agent Safety

Ben Mance — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 13:00:00 GMT

I found your article interesting. I am a retired police officer in the Metro Atlanta area and have a developed a safety course specificially for real estate agents as they are so vunerable.

RE:Texas Murder Raises Concerns For Real Estate Agent Safety

Mile66 — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 11:00:00 GMT

Nobody can generalize that choosing guns, "especially for ladies" is not the most practical solution. It's practice what makes a good shooter. Nobody but oneself should be the one making the decision of carrying if allowed by law. Self defense is a right, not a privilege, but I know this is not the right forum. Both men and women are suceptible of being killed, and choosing OC over a firearm could indeed be the difference between life and death. And not necessarily in that order.

RE:Texas Murder Raises Concerns For Real Estate Agent Safety

Ananconda_2001 — Sun, 08 Oct 2006 11:00:00 GMT

The 'meet first at the office' seems good to me. Also leaving the client DL or ID till returning is safe precaution too. In California, whenever you want to see an apartment for rent, they always ask you to leave your ID with the office while they take you to see the apartment. Why not with houses too? And take a polaroid picture?.. well it sounds extreme, but one cannot be too careful, can it?

RE:Texas Murder Raises Concerns For Real Estate Agent Safety

cody — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 11:00:00 GMT

Upon taking some action into my own hands I started asking around about other agents having Open Houses in my neighborhood this weekend. Guess what, we came across 3 different incidents with a man following the same physical description, with the same MO (using the bathroom). Now we just have to wait for one of these young agents, left in our homes alone for a couple of hours to sell our homes, to be attacked, or killed to get the cops to really pay attentions to this problem!!!!!!!

RE:Texas Murder Raises Concerns For Real Estate Agent Safety

cody — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 11:00:00 GMT

While trying to sell my home this past weekend in NY, I had an Open House. I returned home to find we had be robbed by "a prospective home buyer". My agent was completly unawhere that when the "prospective buyer" asked to use the rest room, he went through my medicine cabinet, then while she was showing another couple around, he helped himself to a box full of my husbands watches!!

RE:Texas Murder Raises Concerns For Real Estate Agent Safety

Jack — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 11:00:00 GMT

My daughter is a RE agent and I frequently talk to her on safety precautions. The business is fraught with potential dangers.

RE:Texas Murder Raises Concerns For Real Estate Agent Safety

Jack — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 11:00:00 GMT

I am trying to sell my home and my daughter is an agent in Las Vegas. I see and hear all the anecdotal stories about the dangers of the business. The nature of the business places the burden of safety on the employee-that's why it is called self defense. The best defense is to be prepared and be careful. Arm yourself with some non-lethal self defense weapons like stun guns and pepper sprays (we sell both). Talk to your peers and learn as much as you can about cautionary tactics.

RE:Texas Murder Raises Concerns For Real Estate Agent Safety

Tracey — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 11:00:00 GMT

September 10-16th is Real Estate Agent Safety Week. Guns aren't for everyone. Having been a safety product retailer for over 11 years I know people don't understand the difference between pepper spray, Mace & tear gas. That's the first step, product education. Also, for those who choose pepper spray as a defense, agents should be mindful that the leather holster key ring sprays are universally recognized. It is a visible deterent. Most training is usually free.

RE:Texas Murder Raises Concerns For Real Estate Agent Safety

Amy — Sun, 27 Aug 2006 11:00:00 GMT

I think it should be mandatory for all buyers to have to give a copy of their drivers license at the office.There should be laws or office rules to protect us. I have my husband come with me the first few times and wait in the car, I tell them that we have plans, so we rode together, that way he can call me on my cell if there's a problem and I dont answer, then he's coming in for me.

RE:Texas Murder Raises Concerns For Real Estate Agent Safety

N. Masterson — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 11:00:00 GMT

Regarding the comment about have a gun with you - it's not exactly the most practical solution (especially for us ladies). I've checked a few pepper spray sites that you can find something suitable. Each site offers something different as well as informational materials and self-defense tips. pepperface.com has designer sprays that i would actually carry and i found a more traditional spray site pepperspray.com. Or just google pepper spray and there are plenty to pick from.