Posted by Noemi | Posted in Real Estate | Posted on 29-05-2009
The recent terrible murder of a real estate agent who was working at an open house in McKinney, Texas brings the concern of individual safety to the forefront. It’s a sad fact that lots of the tasks required for prosperous real estate investing, like showing homes to prospective buyers or tenants, have some level of danger. You may oftentimes be entirely on your own with people you do not know, creating a possibly precarious situation.
Even though statistical data by occupation haven’t been maintained, real estate agents have been killed, sexually assailed, fleeced, and carjacked in the course of doing business. It’s logical that a realty investor might become a victim of the same crimes, but with awareness and by taking some simple safeguards, you could protect yourself.
Do not forget to keep these safety pieces of advice in mind:
-Whenever achievable, meet potential property buyers and sellers in a public spot. Fast food dining places are great places to review paperwork. The meeting likewise provides you an opportunity to determine as much as you can about the client, including their place of work, what they do, how much they pull in, and so on. This helps you qualify the person as a potential home buyer or property seller as well as grants you a sense of whether the person’s legitimate or not.
-Never think that because the likely client is a female that she means no damage. Increasingly, women are being utilized to set up a victim for a masculine perpetrator – or women are really perpetrating the offenses. Be equally careful with both women and men.
-Always have a mobile phone and keep it ready. Carry it in your hand, clip it to your belt buckle, or keep it inside a pocket – never leave your phone in your vehicle or let it drop to the bottom of your purse or briefcase. Put it emergency numbers into your speed dial. Keep your cellular phone charged. Make sure you have a car charger to use if needed.
-Always bring your own transportation when you are showing or inspecting property, and lock your vehicle when you leave it, even if you are just going to be a few feet away. Likewise, keep it locked at all times while you’re driving.
-When you’re showing a house, walk behind rather than walk in front of the client through the house, and do not allow him to get between you and the door. Avoid going down the basement or other confined areas with a person you do not know well enough.
-Let another person know where you are going to be. If you’re looking at or showing houses, or meeting up with potential clients, be sure someone knows your whereabouts and when you expect to come back. Have a plan prepared just in case you do not come back on schedule.
-Carry pepper spray in your bag and learn how to utilize it. Looking into taking a personal safety course so you will be aware of what you need to do in case you are attacked.
-Dress for safety. Don’t wear costly jewelry. Put on clothing proper for the weather. If your vehicle chokes or you need to elude a dangerous situation on foot, you may see yourself exposed to rough weather conditions for an extended period, so keep a jacket handy in the wintertime. Select shoes that will permit you to proceed quickly if needed.
-If anything makes you self-conscious, get away from the situation. No deal is worth your life. Better to feel a bit silly than to be a victim of a crime.
