Open House Safety

Keeping yourself safe during your next open house

As a realtor, your weekends are packed with open house after open house as you work relentlessly to find the perfect buyer for each of your properties.  You design your open houses to be as welcoming as possible and you make sure to pay attention to every last detail.  You’ve got your flyers made, snacks ready, neighborhood booklets prepared, and you have made sure that the home looks perfect.  But have you thought about yourself?  Have you considered your safety?  As the hectic spring market quickly approaches, keep in mind the importance of being prepared for anything that you may encounter during one of your busy open house weekends.  Here are just a couple of tips to get you thinking about what you can do.

1. Ask all open house guests to sign in. You can even ask to see everyone’s driver license to make sure that the names match.  This will also allow you to ask for email addresses and telephone numbers which you can use to contact potential buyers after they leave the open house.
2. Plan your escape route. Always know how you would get out of the house should the need arise.  Know which doors are unlocked and which ones will definitely bring you to safety.  Test the doors and plan your route when you first arrive at the property.
3. Make sure that your cell phone is fully charged. Also, keep your phone on you during the entire afternoon.  If a situation makes you uncomfortable, your phone is with you so that you can call or text for help.
4. Consider working as a team. Working alongside another realtor can help you as more guests start to arrive and ensure that one of you has spoken to each and every guest that enters the house.  Guests will be able to ask more questions and receive more information with more than one realtor present, and there is also safety in numbers for both you and your partner.
5. Sign up for a self-defense class. Find out what courses are offered near you so that you can learn exactly what to do. These classes will provide you with even more ways to avoid a dangerous situation.

You never know what you will encounter, but it is always best to be prepared for the unexpected.  And being aware of what could happen and having a specific plan for yourself is a great start.