Workplace Safety Tips:
Real Estate Agents

Workplace Safety Tips - personal safety strategies for isolated Real Estate agents.

Selling real estate is a dangerous job. One of every four real estate agents will be involved in a dangerous situation. Think about it. Any monster can pose as a buyer and isolate you where you're at his mercy. You're a sitting duck:

• Realtor Janice Flasschoen met Balazs Gombos to look at a house for sale in Port Orange FL. Gombos, a convicted felon, struck her twice in the back of the head with a hammer.

• Realtor Julie Roberts met a man who seemed like a legitimate buyer to look at a house for sale in Pinellas Park FL. He hit her with a gun and threatened to kill her.

• A real estate agent met Michael Edward Sleeman to look at a house for sale in Raleigh NC. He pulled out a knife and raped her. As usual, neighbors were shocked that a violent crime occured in their quiet, low-key neighborhood.

• Real estate agent Marlene Hornick twice warned Winnipeg police about Joseph Robert Davis trying to trap female real estate agents by posing as a client. But the police ignored her and never warned her that Davis was a violent career criminal. Davis later attempted to rape another woman realtor.

• Real estate agent Lindsay Buziak's body was found in a new home listed for sale in Victoria, BC.

A REAL ESTATE AGENT'S PERSONAL SAFETY TIPS

A real estate agent can use a camera cell phone to send digital images of a prospective buyer to a remote receiver. Smoothly snap each prospective buyer the instant you meet him and casually explain it’s standard realtor's safety policy.

Right away any potential predator knows he’s no longer anonymous. Then snap and zap his driver's license, car, and license plate number as well. Even if the ID is bogus and the car is stolen, there is a digital image of him and far more of a trail than a predator wants. This may well deter an attack – but don't count on that as your only safety strategy.

You and the prospective buyer should always travel in separate cars. You should always have Pepper Spray and a Personal Security Alarm (noisemaker or screamer) at the ready.

Notify your office of your safety status with code words such as: “my files are green-flagged.” Green means, “I’m OK;” yellow means, “I’m not sure, send help;” red means, “I’m in danger! SOS!

Crime-Safety-Security > Workplace Safety Overview > Real Estate

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