How REALTORS® protect themselves and sellers

The Now EMC, your community Newspaper

Heather Skuce, Ottawa Real Estate Board President, the now EMC, Homes & Real Estate This Week, February 28, 2008

Safety on the job is a concern for everyone, no matter where they work.  Employers are required by law to enforce safety standards in the work-place to prevent work-related injuries.  But what if your job requires you to be out of the office for much of your day?  What if your job requires you to be out of the office for much of your day?  What if it involves going to places you're not familiar with, and meeting with strangers?  How does one ensure one's safety?

These are the challenges faced by REALTORS® every day.  This point was made all too clear several weeks ago when a young female real estate salesperson was killed while showing a home in Victoria, B.C. While most people who engage the services of REALTOR® are honest people just looking for a home, there are risks in this business as in any other.  The good news is, there are steps that REALTORS® can and do take to protect themselves - and the people selling their homes - from harm and from theft.

As a home buyer, don't be alarmed if your REALTOR® takes these precautions:  they may seem overly cautious, but they create a safer working environment and also help to prevent theft from or damage to properties listed for sale.

The Ottawa Real Estate Board suggests that REALTORS® always meet new or prospective clients at their office or a safe public location such as a restaurant, rather than at an empty house, and that they verify the identity of potential clients by making a photocopy of his or her driver's license or other photo ID.  They may also record the make, model and license number of a client's car.  If a client is well-intentioned, none of this will present a problem.

Ideally, upon leaving the office, a REALTOR® should always tell someone where they are going and when they expect to be back, ensure that their cell phone is charged on their person, and call the office regularly to check in.  Also, the Board suggests that REALTORS® drive their own car, rather than riding with a client who they may not know at all, leaving them vulnerable to abduction or car jacking.

When walking through a home, you may notice that your REALTOR® lets you lead the way.  This is meant to prevent their becoming trapped in an enclosed space such as a basement or attic in the event that the client does intend harm.  Some REALTORS® may even bring along a colleague as added security.

REALTORS® can remind home sellers to always place valuable objects out of sight when preparing their home for a showing.  They also take time to check that the home is properly secured before departing after the showing:  the doors are locked, the alarm reset, and the house key replaced safely in its box.

All REALTORS® hope they never encounter a dangerous situation in the course of their work.  However, taking these simple precautions can prevent theft, injury or worse.  It's a part of being a responsible business person, and isn't that the kind of person you want working for you when you purchase a home?