Most of us are familiar with the phrase ‘don’t talk to strangers’ that was popular in childhood. Although the phrase was for a good reason, it is a little bit difficult obeying it in adulthood especially in the corporate world. In real estate business, interacting with strangers when showing them a home is part of everyday life for property managers and Real estate Agents.
If you are in the real estate business you are probably familiar with the cold blood murder of a real estate agent Beverly Carter after showing a home to a potential buyer. This incident has resulted to real estate managers and agents raise the awareness of their surroundings, some even resulting to taking self-defense classes. At Real Property Management Choice, we value the safety of every Real estate Manager/Agent when showing a rental property to a stranger; and as such we have compiled a list of safety tips that could save your life .
- Never hold the first meeting at the property, do it in the office.
- Prior to showing the person the property, ask them for a copy of their ID. If they decline to hand over the ID terminate the meeting immediately. If they give you their ID, don’t stop there. Inform a colleague at the office where you will be, with whom and when you are expected to return and if possible invite someone along.
- Make use of the many safety apps available on your phone designed for Realtors and Property Managers. Fully charge your phone prior to visiting the property.
- If you are not in the position of using safety Apps, make prior arrangements with a friend or someone you trust to check on you during the showing.
- Avoid parking locations where you could potentially be boxed in.
- Take photos of the person’s car or license plate and send them to a reliable person.
- Arrive for the appointment early and familiarize with the area around the home.
- Identify all possible exits around the vacant home.
- If you have other appointments awaiting you, talk about them to the client.
- Where possible allow the person to guide themselves as you wait on the front door. If you must guide them let them lead on the front as you follow.
- Avoid basements, closets and attics and never allow the person to stand between you and the door.
- Be assertive on suspicious behavior from the person, if you feel threatened excuse yourself to make a call or get something from the car.
Usually, showing a home to a tenant tops the list of the tenant screening process. At Real Property Management Choice our highly trained property managers possess the experience and training necessary to ensure the process is as safe as possible.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
