September 21 2015
This month, we're publishing content from a course on Realtor Safety. This is the seventh in a series of articles that teaches Realtors how to prevent being a victim of crime. Read the previous article here.
Learning as much as possible about a property and neighborhood is an important part of the sales process. However, it is also an important step in assessing the risk of an appointment as well as deterring a possible predator.
If the property you are showing is your listing, spending a little time introducing yourself to the neighbors and checking out the neighborhood is an excellent strategy for getting additional business. It is also an extremely valuable safety strategy.
While introducing yourself to neighbors, take the time to find out the following information:
This all important information that you can use in an initial conversation with a prospect to not only impress a legitimate prospect, but also deter a possible predator or opportunistic thief.
Additionally, look for any abandoned houses in the immediate area. Even if the house you are showing is not abandoned, neighborhoods with abandoned houses may be more attractive to someone intending to commit a crime.
Just as you take the time to learn about the property and evaluate it so you can market and price it correctly, you can do the same to determine the risk level of the property.
The following are important factors in determining the risk level of the property:
No class or guide can anticipate every layout of every house, so be sure to you use common sense and think critically. The more visible you are, the safer you are; the more escape paths, the safer.
If the property is not your listing, you'll need to rely on the listing agent for information about the neighborhood—and possibly information about the house as well.
If at all possible, you should take time to preview the property so you can analyze the items listed in the previous section for yourself. If previewing the property is not an option, be sure to contact the listing agent to learn as much as possible about the property.
Read the next article in this series now: Using the Initial Prospect Call to Deter Predators
September is Realtor® Safety Month. Throughout the month, RE Technology will be publishing excerpts from an educational course on Realtor Safety in partnership with safety app creator Real Safe Agent. Here's the list of articles that have been published to date:
Please consider sharing this important information with your colleagues, your agents (brokers), and membership (MLSs and associations)!