How Safe Are We As Realtors???

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zvillegas_IHB

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I recently posted a blog on a different site regarding safety for female agents after a wierd little encounter that happened to me and another female agent in my office. Although my blog had to do with a cell phone issue, I received a ton of responses from other agents and all their responses were targeted around showings. That brought up another interesting point. All realtors get calls from buyers prospects hoping to meet the agent at the home and often it's after work. We often try to get the clients to come into our office first but sometimes the clients complain about it taking up too much of their time. However, the alternative is for a female agent to meet total strangers at a home (nowadays most are vacant) after dark in hopes to get an offer. How good is the money though if you can't spend it. Most of us have had some close encounter from which we escaped from with no serious harm done. Unfortunately, others haven't. Yet you never hear about that in the media. The only way we as realtors find out about them is through industry news strictly for professionals. And don't get thrown off just because the call comes from another female. One agent in Pittsburg got a call from a couple wanting to see a vacant home. When she got there the female met her at the front door but two others were waiting in the backyard. Needless to say, they mugged her and took her keys and her wallet and made off with her mercedes. Any suggestions out there? Comments?
 
The realtors I've dealt with always meet in someplace public then she drives us to the property in her car.
 
Sorry, but I am not seeing this as a gender thing, but rather accountability for personal safety. Are you saying a male realtor can't get jumped on an after dark showing? Isn't the real issue here about making the right decisions? Doesn't your gut alert you of possible risks? How about taking a tazer, some mace, and/or a witness if you insist on taking after dark showings? If you can't re-schedule or flat out refuse the showing, then like jpmorganfunds suggests, meet up in public first--this goes for everybody and not just females as your post suggests.



Edit: Replaced 'sex' with 'gender' to help avoid confusion.
 
I can just imagine showing a property in a bad neighborhood. Especially now with the daylight being short. Do RE agents take down or make copies of people driver's license? Similar to when you go to a car dealership?
 
Sorry Adam, I didn't imply that males don't have to be concerned with their personal safety as well. My husband's been in the real estate industy for over 19 years and he's had some strange encounters/episodes as well. But those are a different blog altogether. Male or female, yes Adam, you're right we do have to accountable for our safety. However, female's are targeted more frequently and in a different manner altogether. Also, I didn't mention the issue that happened to me personally over the phone, but based on what the caller said he did specifically target me and the other agent because we ae female. And his comments left me a little unsettled altogether and it didn't involve a showing. All I had to do in that situation was hang up, which I did, and report it. But back to Adam, yes we are all utlimately responsible for using the brains God gave us.



And no, agents shouldn't only use caution in bad neighborhoods because lets face it, there are bad people with large bank accounts as well, they don't only lurk in seedy neighborhoods. Unfortunately I know tons of agents that meet prospects on site at the property in question without asking for any type of ID. It's not my practice, but I see it everyday. If they don't understand our need for caution then do we really want to work with them? All of my clients commend me for my safety and they're all understanding.



And it goes the other way too. MY husband had a client call off one of his ads but she couldn't leave her home. She wanted to sell but asked what he could do to make her feel safe. He gave her his DRE license number, told her to check his background, and told her he'd bring me to the appointment. He asked if she had dogs, which she did, so he insised they be present at the appointment. So there we sat with her two rottweilers! Anyhow, she was grateful and was one of our best clients!
 
<p>zvillegas,</p>

<p>It's not safe practicing real estate. I always ask tons of questions until I feel comfortable enough to meet a potential buyer and seller too. I sometimes say that I will bring my partner (s) and ask if that is OK. Stay safe.</p>
 
Seriously, I have seen some really bad looking properties in certain part of the county. There's no way in heck am I going to those places at night. True, bad people exist in decent neighborhoods. But the chances are much greater in bad neighborhoods.
 
I don't want to dwell on this. But if the police with guns don't feel safe in these neighborhoods. Then RE agents should be extra careful.
 
<p>Hmm, I think I found a new use for all those hours of weapons and security training: Armed RE escort.</p>

<p>Now where did I put that concealed carry permit?</p>
 
<p>Nude, </p>

<p>Hahaha. I think you have just found yourself a good business. But, remember to show up at the "showing" on time and don't be late. Hahaha!</p>
 
"However, female's are targeted more frequently and in a different manner altogether."





So for clarity, I am lost because if you are saying women are targeted more frequently based on the assumption this is a female dominated field, then I can certainly respect those statistics. Also, for being mugged for keys, a wallet, and Mercedes, it doesn't come off as a "different manner altogether" at least not to me anyway.



With all due respect, zvillegas, I still continue to sense a tinge of sexism here. Just as a lot of men have a deep psychological investment in the code of chivalry -- protecting women against all threats (real or imagined), a lot of women have a deep psychological investment in feminism and its cozy reassurance that women are always victims, never needing to feel responsible for any of the problems in their lives. Thus taking personal responsibility to ensure I am not in a vulnerable situation should be the upmost priority of any person regarless of sex. It is ludicrous to think that because I am a man I won't be freaked out to "meet total strangers at a home (nowadays most are vacant) after dark in hopes to get an offer". But your original post is peppered with "female agent". As opposed to what? And that is where I am coming from.



My comments should not be taken as personal. It is just sometimes I crack under the constant barrage of sexism from both sides and feel that society would be better off if people began thinking beyond the ideas of chivalry and feminism and move towards true equality and mutual love and respect between the sexes. To me, a simple discussion on Realtor safety would've been sufficient and void of the stereotypical type imagery.
 
<p>Adam-</p>

<p>Are you really complaining about a "tinge" of sexism and then following it with an implication that we are too sexist as a society?</p>

<p>I salute your ability to bite your own tail, sir!</p>
 
Adam, apparently this is personal for you and for all intense purposes, I agree with you. I'm a little irritated by the focus being taken off of Safety and for it turning into a "sexist" issue. Sorry for whatever feathers I ruffled. Adam, perhaps I would have been more sensitive to your chivalry vs. feminism (which....I think you're reading too much into sexism anyway...or perhaps you're the type that likes to cause a stir in your direction just for the heck of it) had I not been exposed to this scenario just recently.



Thanks Adam, for taking my personal issue and using as a banner for your own cause. No, I'm not stuck in a cozy, fuzzy falsehood that women are poor helpless victims. In fact, next time some creep calls me and tells me he liked my picture on my website and he'd like to ** *** me in a vacant home...well, I'll keep in mind that he hides behind a cloack of male chivalry and perhaps I shouldn't judge him too harshly. After all, he's probably a really good guy. You're right...it's not like he put me in a sexist situation. Excellent point. Good day sir.
 
Eliminate the sexism and you have a great topic. How about this?



"How Safe Are We As Realtors?



I recently posted a blog on a different site regarding safety for agents after a weird little encounter that happened to me and another agent in my office. Although my blog had to do with a cell phone issue, I received a ton of responses from other agents and all their responses were targeted around showings. That brought up another interesting point. All realtors get calls from buyers prospects hoping to meet the agent at the home and often it's after work. We often try to get the clients to come into our office first but sometimes the clients complain about it taking up too much of their time. However, the alternative is for an agent to meet total strangers at a home (nowadays most are vacant) after dark in hopes to get an offer. How good is the money though if you can't spend it? Most of us have had some close encounter from which we escaped from with no serious harm done. Unfortunately, others haven't. Yet you never hear about that in the media. The only way we as realtors find out about them is through industry news strictly for professionals. [?] Any suggestions out there? Comments?"



Honestly, I have no interest in hijacking your topic, I just find it offensive and let it be known.
 
I just find it offensive that women who participate on the internet, when threatened, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/29/AR2007042901555.html?hpid=topnews">are threatened sexually</a>, and men generally are not. I wish it were not so, but to ignore the existing difference is counterproductive to reaching a solution - on the internet or in public spaces.
 
<p>Adam, quit being a twit. The NAR states that 59% of Realtors are female and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the average woman is more at risk of a violent personal attack (rape) than a man. In combination with the national averages of assault and robbery, it's far more likely that a female RE agent is going to be a target than it is a male agent in similar circumstances.</p>

<p>For you to be offended by the truth would be laughable if I wasn't positive that you are a troll. Honestly, how can you be offended that she didn't include men when she was clearly writing about a personal experience and communicating her experience to her peers who are, again, mostly women? Do you feel threatened? Are you always looking over your shoulder to see if some strange woman is coming to rape you? Are you a male RE agent who feels left out because no one is warning you about being alone in a bad neighborhood late at night? Or are you just an over-sensitive troll who feels the need to strike out in the name of male equality, snarking those who dare to imply that women and men are not, in fact, equal physiologically?</p>

<p>zvillegas,</p>

<p>I'm sorry your attempt to warn others like you has resulted in you being the target of an attack a second time. I would advise you just skip over his remarks and focus on helpful suggestions to make your working environment more secure. Maybe Trooper might have some suggestions that won't violate local laws.</p>
 
zvillegas,



I think self-defense classes would also be wise (not just for female RE agents either, but for all women). Men like Adam forget that sometimes we women feel more vulnerable because when we are attacked, it is often sexual and we generally not as strong as men to be able to fight back.



We are more vulnerable than men--unless of course you are a she-male and pumped up on steroids or male testosterone ;-)



Nevertheless, learning how to defend yourself to the extent possible could put you in a better situation should you face a dangerous situation.
 
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