How Real Estate Agents Can Protect Themselves

Real estate agents are often given a lot of responsibility. When trying to help someone sell or buy a home, they typically have access to the said home during the process in order to show potential buyers the property. While this is rather commonplace in the industry, a potential problem has been rising up; the real estate agents' safety. Agents will sometimes meet potential clients late in the evening, by themselves, at an empty house in order to make a sale. This is where things can get dangerous. Several examples of real estate agents being murdered or robbed have popped up over the years. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to protect yourself and be prepared in case you’re ever in a dangerous real estate situation.

Never Go Alone

Many real estate stories gone wrong have a common theme: The agent went to the showing by themselves. Real estate agents want to make sales, and sometimes that involves accommodating a customer's availability, even if it means going late at night. In some situations, they’ve even met their client several times before, having shown them multiple houses before the incident. When put in a situation like that, it’s always best to have at least one other person by your side, as criminals are less likely to act on impulse when there are multiple people. Of course, sometimes having a second person with you is just not possible. In situations like that, it’s best to think about other forms of protection, such as personal safety apps like BSafe or getting a 911 pendant that allows for instant connection to emergency services operators.

Be Prepared To Defend Yourself

When in a dangerous situation, the first thing you probably want to do is run away. When it comes to fight or flight, flight is the common choice. Sometimes you can’t run away though. In situations like that, it’s best to be prepared to defend yourself. Real estate agents typically carry a few different forms of self-defense, from pepper spray to pocket knives to firearms. It’s a good idea to check state and local laws to confirm what’s actually legal to use in your area, as well as making sure you are properly educated on how to use them.

Take A Self-Defense

Regardless of whether or not you’re prepared to defend yourself using some sort of self-defense weapon, a self-defense class is always a smart idea. By taking a self-defense class, you can learn vital skills such as learning how to use people’s momentum against them or learning about pressure points. Sometimes self-defense weapons won’t cut it, or you can’t get to them fast enough, so knowing these useful skills can make the difference in an altercation.

Real estate should not be a dangerous profession, but sometimes it is. The information I’ve shared with you here should help you prepare yourself, but it’s always important to pay attention to details and follow your gut.