Real Estate Agent Safety Stressed After Agent Robbed and Other Agents Targeted By Man

Kansas City, MO- Monday afternoon a man posing as a client robbed a Johnson County Kansas real estate agent of her purse. Over a week ago in Columbia, Missouri, a man posing as a client has been targeting female real estate agents and making strange requests. Tracey Hawkins, a Kansas City, Missouri real estate agent safety specialist is encouraging agents to follow the safety rules and not continue to take shortcuts when it comes to screening potential clients.

Hawkins, who has trained hundreds of agents over the past 10 years, is hoping that they will remember the safety tips they have learned. She is willing to travel to conduct the presentations. She wants insurance agents, home inspectors, loan officers, and even those selling their own homes; FSBO’s to pay attention as well.

· Do not meet a complete stranger at an empty house when you are alone. It is ultimately the same as picking up a hitchhiker and just as dangerous.

· Have them come into your office and get some pertinent information from them including a copy of their driver’s license. This should be left on your desk or in a file that’s accessible.

· Agents should always let someone know where they are at all times, who they are with and how long they will be gone.

The Johnson County agent received a phone call from a would-be buyer who she had never met and who wanted to see some houses. Once at the house he took her purse and fled. She was able to provide a description of the man to law enforcement officials. She was not physically harmed.
Following the office rule is what protected the real estate agent in Columbia. A man has been visiting real estate offices and an insurance office and asking female agents to accompany him to the restroom to help him change his bandages. It now appears that he had intentions of disrobing once alone with the agent. Fortunately, this agent got out of the situation with assistance from someone else in the office.
* Agents need to be aware of the proper way to show a house safely, the agent should never enter a room or space first. That prevents the would-be perpetrator from trapping them in a room and blocking their escape route.
· Hawkins advises agents to save expensive jewelry and high heel shoes for special occasions, the jewelry because it makes you a target and the shoes because they are hard to run in if an escape is necessary. Along the same line expensive electronics, including PDA’s and laptops, as well as purses and brief cases should stay in the trunk of the car or at home.
· Agents should take their own cars and let clients follow, this way if they are uncomfortable in a house based on the clients behavior, they can call the clients cell phone from the safety of their car and make up an excuse to avoid being stuck riding with them. And escape safely.
· Cell phones should have 911 programmed and accessible. A more effective plan would be for the agent to discreetly grab the homeowner’s cordless phone and have it handy in case they need to dial 911.
“When showing several properties you are likely to forget the address of where you are, especially in an emergency situation. If you can at least dial 9-1-1, you know help is on the way, even if you can’t speak.” Hawkins explains.
· Resist the need to have a photo on their business cards, billboards, yard signs and newspaper ads. You are making it easy for a perpetrator to target you. They seek whomever they are attracted to. Hawkins says the fact that would-be perpetrators know that a simple phone call will get an agent to meet them at a vacant house, often alone, to do whatever they wish. If you must have a picture, save the glamour-type photos for personal distribution, focus on professional business-like pictures.
· Websites and brochures should not have personal pictures or personal information. “I have seen websites with family pictures, the kids schools listed, the agent’s church, hobbies and where they hang out. These are no-nos. Save the personal information for face to face relationship building.” Hawkins says
Hawkins says that not only do professionals who need to worry, but also those selling their own homes; FSBO’s (for sell by owners). FSBO’s don’t have the luxury of an office with potential witnesses, so they have to be more vigilant to protect themselves, their families and their possessions.”
· Hawkins advises that homeowners should never just open their doors and let people into the house without first verifying employment and ensuring they are legitimate buyers and not criminals casing their home.
· They need to be sure not to tell prospective buyers when no one is home.
· Home phone numbers should not be listed in ads.
· Jewelry and valuables need to be put away and hidden
· They should never show the home alone.
“If salespeople, inspectors or FSBO’s are going to carry some sort of safety product, they need to know how to use it. They need to pick a product that they will have accessible, like pepper spray or a personal alarm. More importantly, they need to pick a quality product that will work. Education is key.” Hawkins is also a safety product specialist and educates on product usage.
Hawkins offers a free personal safety presentation for real estate agents and FSBO’s. She has safety tips on her website for FSBOs.
www.safetyandsecuritysource.com 816-941-4542 Office/1-866-365-4542 Toll-Free outside of the Greater KC area.