Your Safety Plan Starts Before the Showing
September is REALTOR® Safety Month. Review your plan, activate your member safety tools and find upcoming MetroTex classes to help you stay prepared.
Most real estate appointments feel routine. That is exactly why your safety habits should be routine too.
From meeting a new prospect to hosting an open house, the job often puts REALTORS® in unfamiliar places with people they may not know. NAR’s latest residential member-safety research found that 22% of residential agents have experienced a situation that made them fear for their personal safety or the security of their personal information.
Take a moment to ask: If something felt wrong at your next appointment, would you know what to do?
Make Safety Part of Every Appointment
A good safety plan does not need to be complicated. NAR recommends creating one you follow every day, with every client and at every appointment.
Before your next showing or open house:
- Meet first, show second. Meet new prospects at your office or in a neutral public location before heading to a property.
- Tell someone where you are. Share your schedule and location with a colleague, assistant or family member, and establish a reliable check-in plan.
- Check your phone before you go. Make sure your battery is charged, confirm that you have a signal and keep your phone easily accessible.
- Stay aware inside the property. Let clients walk ahead of you, remain aware of exits and avoid entering spaces where you could become trapped.
- Avoid working alone when possible. Ask another agent or colleague to join you for open houses or appointments that raise concerns.
- Trust your instincts. If something does not feel right, leave. An appointment can always be rescheduled.
These steps are part of NAR’s guidance for making safety a consistent part of your everyday business.
Use the Tools Included With Your Membership
MetroTex members have access to tools that can add another layer of protection in the field.
Tether RE offers 24/7 live safety monitoring, client verification, SOS alerts, showing and open house timers, automatic check-ins and real-time location sharing.
FOREWARN allows members to verify a prospective client’s identity using a name or phone number before scheduling an appointment.
Visit the MetroTex Member Benefits page to learn more and activate these benefits. The best time to set up your safety tools is before you need them.
Build Your Safety Toolkit
NAR’s REALTOR® Safety Program brings together practical resources for strengthening your personal or office safety plan, including tips, webinars, training videos, personal protection resources, the REALTOR® Safety Network and the REALTOR® Safety Pledge.
Whether you are building a plan for the first time or reviewing your current protocols, these resources can help you identify gaps and make safety a year-round priority.
Put Safety Training on Your Calendar
MetroTex also has several safety-focused classes coming up to help you recognize risks, develop safer habits and prepare for situations you could encounter in the field.
- Power Hour: Safety Basics with FOREWARN
Sept. 2 | Virtual - Power Hour: Safety Basics with TetherRE
Sept. 8 | Virtual - Power Hour: Safety Basics with Plano Police Dept.
Sept. 10 | Plano - Power Hour: Safety Basics with Irving Police Dept.
Sept. 25 | Irving
Most appointments will be routine. Your safety plan can help keep them that way. Use REALTOR® Safety Month to review your protocols, activate the tools available through your membership and register for a class before your next showing begins.