June 7th - 2006

Do you know how to stay safe?

REALTOR® safety on the job is of real concern. The very nature of real estate involves personal risk because REALTORS® often work alone in vacant buildings with people who are complete strangers.

REALTOR® safety on the job is of real concern. The very nature of real estate involves personal risk because REALTORS® often work alone in vacant buildings with people who are complete strangers.

REALTORS® assume the majority of these strangers will become clients, and that they are really interested in the property being shown. But, as a REALTOR®, you should also remember that predators look for easy targets.

It can happen to you
Ontario REALTORS® have been victims of violence. An Ottawa REALTOR® was attacked during an open house in a trendy west-end suburb. Fortunately her screams frightened the attacker and he fled the scene.

And many have heard of the commercial REALTOR® in Toronto who was killed while she worked alone in her office in November 2002. Almost five months later a suspect was arrested and was convicted of the murder this past April.

These REALTORS® were performing their professional services, but their personal safety was unknowingly at risk. Last year, the National Association of REALTORS®, CREA and your provincial association worked together to develop a safety awareness campaign for REALTORS®. To help you become more aware of the risks and keep you out of harm’s way, safety materials are available on the OREA Web site at www.orea.com under Member Services.

What would you do?
Here’s a sample scenario from the safety campaign:

You receive a phone call from a man who says he is interviewing REALTORS® to sell his lakeside vacation home. You can hear children laughing in the background and he apologizes for the racket his kids are making. He wants to hear your listing presentation and get your ideas about a good asking price, so he asks you to meet him at the property this evening at 8:00.

What do you do?  Here’s the suggestion from the Web site:

  • Any time you are meeting a stranger alone, whether it’s for a showing or a listing presentation, there is a potential for danger.
  • Don’t make assumptions. There could be any reasons for the sound of children; he could be calling from a pay phone in a restaurant with a noisy play area. Sometimes violent predators do have wives and kids at home.
  • First verify that he is actually the owner of the property by checking tax logs.
  • Try to set up a preliminary meeting in your office so that you can record his information before going to the property.
  • Even if you decide it is safe to go, make sure that while you’re at the property, you call in to the office regularly.

Precautionary measures
The Web site provides an outline of potential dangers REALTORS® face on the job and some practical safety dos and don’ts that could help prevent an assault. Here are a number of basic things you can do to protect your personal safety:

Keep a cell phone at your side: Your cell phone can be your best friend in a bad situation. Program 911 on your speed dial.

Have a distress code: Have a prearranged distress signal. For example, "I'm at the Jones house and I need the red file right away." Share and practice your distress code with your office, colleagues, family and friends. Use it any time you feel uneasy.

Make sure your office knows: Tell someone who you are with, where you are going and when you’ll be back. Make sure someone else knows what your schedule is, and who you're planning to meet.

Don't glamorize promotional material: Avoid glamour shots. Your marketing materials should be polished and professional. Limit the amount of personal information you share. Do not use your home phone number; use a cell phone number instead. Use your office address, rather than your home address.

Know who you are dealing with: When you have new clients, meet them at the office first. Verify their identities. Get their car make and licence number and if you can, photocopy their driver's licence. Complete a client i.d. form. A serious client will not hesitate to share this information.

Take precautions at open houses: Often at an open house, you'll be working alone. You won't know who will show up, so take basic precautions to ensure your personal safety.

Other valuable information on the REALTOR® Safety page of our Web site includes how to protect yourself while in your car or during an open house, how to judge if a situation is potentially dangerous and even a quiz that provides scenarios for you to test your safety potential. Be sure to visit the Member Services section of the OREA Web site at http://www.orea.com/ to find more information about staying safe.

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For more information contact

Ontario Real Estate Association

Jean-Adrien Delicano

Senior Manager, Media Relations

JeanAdrienD@orea.com

416-445-9910 ext. 246

Ontario Real Estate Association
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The trademarks REALTOR®, REALTORS®, and the REALTOR® logo are controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA. The trademarks MLS®, Multiple Listing Service® and the associated logos are owned by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify the quality of services provided by real estate professionals who are members of CREA. Used under license.

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