Open House Safety Tips

Working in real estate is hardly considered a dangerous job. You won’t see a an agent working on the Discovery Channel’s World’s Most Dangerous jobs, but every job has an element of danger present. Make sure you are aware of the risks, not just on the market, but also to your safety.

Though 90% of homebuyers search online to make their purchases, an open house is a much more personal environment. Having potential buyers to the property creates a much more conducive environment for developing relationships and closing on your sale. While selling the home is your ultimate goal, don’t get so caught up in it that you put your safety at risk. Here are some pointers to help make ensure your experiences are pleasant when showing.

Take precautions so you can focus on your business

Know your exits. Before you have your open house, familiarize yourself with all the exits on the property. If an ugly situation presents itself, you want to be ready to get away as fast as possible. If there are deadbolts, unlock them so you don’t have to fiddle with them if you’re in a rush

Have digital cameras keeping watch. If you are busy, you may not be able to keep track of everything going on. You can keep your seller’s belongings secure without a lot of effort. Many systems are wireless and can be directly viewed with your smartphone.

Make sure your phone is charged before your open house. You can schedule times to check in with family members or coworkers. If you are too busy to make the call, send a text to update them. If you are using your phone for viewing security camera footage, you don’t want to lose that element of protection while you are showing.

Be thorough with your sign-in procedure. This is important not only for your safety, but also with maintaining useful prospects. Having an accurate record of attendees is a good deterrent for would-be offenders. You can use an app created specifically for this purpose. It is called Open Home Pro™, and can be used on your android tablet or iPad.

A secure environment will put you at ease

Use your instincts. If your intuition is telling you something is amiss, pay attention. Take precautions and be ready to act in an instant. Many phones have emergency dialing software installed from the factory. Program your emergency contacts in and be familiar with how to use the feature quickly.

As I said, real estate is not a dangerous business, but it can be. You are only ever as safe as you prepare to be. Take some precautions so that you can rest easy and focus on your prospects. Success is much easier in a safe and secure environment.

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