Home Security for Real Estate Agents
Author: johncherrylp | Posted: 12.07.2012When your job is selling houses, you can be vulnerable to crime simply because you are allowing strangers in your workplace on a regular basis. You do not know everyone who looks at a house you are representing and you could very well be in danger if the wrong person chooses to walk through it with you. Believe it or not, real estate agents are in a dangerous line of work; however, you can take steps to make it safer.
1. Pay to have an home security system installed in the houses you are selling. This might seem like an unnecessary expense, but if you think about it, you are doing the seller, buyer and yourself a favor. An installed home security system will increase the home’s value so the seller should be happy. The buyer won’t have to pay to have an alarm system installed after he buys the property so he should be happy. Any would-be criminals bent on harming you when you are showing the property should back away if they know they are being monitored, which should make you happy.
2. If a potential buyer contacts you about seeing a particular house, ask that he or she come to your office before meeting at the house. This way, if you feel like something is wrong, you can ask someone to come with you or you can simply decline to show the home.
3. When hosting an open house, be sure that you have a plan for quick escape in case of emergency. Always have the potential buyer enter the house before you so you never have your back to him or her.
4. Let people know when you are going to show a home. Tell your secretary or another agent in your office when you are hosting an open house or meeting a prospective buyer. You should let them know when you intend to return so that if you aren’t back when you say you’re going to be, they can follow up with you. Establish a code word that you can say to your co-workers if you are in danger so they can get help.
5. Take a self-defense course that teaches you how to get away from dangerous situations. You might also think about carrying pepper spray with you at all times. Using pepper spray on an attacker should give you enough time to get to safety.
About Author:
John is a shrewd consumer who writes about personal finance, home technology and home security topics like: home security system and Sarasota home security.
John is a shrewd consumer who writes about personal finance, home technology and home security topics like: home security system and Sarasota home security.
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