On July 8, 2006, a real estate sales representative was found
dead at a model town home at Hemingway at Craig Ranch in McKinney,
Texas. Sarah Anne Walker, aged 40, was discovered in the kitchen
shortly after 1 p.m. by a hapless couple looking for sales
information. Police said she was stabbed 27 times, and some of the
wounds indicated she had fought back futilely. The neighborhood has
been under construction for more than a year by builder D R Horton.
Only six houses are currently occupied in the community. Ms. Walker
leaves two children and a lot of unanswered questions.
On July 8, 2006, a real estate sales representative was found dead at a model town home at Hemingway at Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas. Sarah Anne Walker, aged 40, was discovered in the kitchen shortly after 1 p.m. by a hapless couple looking for sales information. Police said she was stabbed 27 times, and some of the wounds indicated she had fought back futilely. The neighborhood has been under construction for more than a year by builder D R Horton. Only six houses are currently occupied in the community. Ms. Walker leaves two children and a lot of unanswered questions.
This story gave me the creeps, but I found it was not an isolated incident. In 2004 Garland Taylor, age 74, was killed while showing a $900,000 listing by a well-groomed and professionally dressed man who is believed to have called Taylor from a pay phone and arranged to see the luxury property. Neighbors saw Taylor enter the property with a younger man. They became concerned when they saw the Realtor’s van there hours later. The suspect had presented himself as a corporate attorney from Arizona, looking to relocate.
Are these everyday occurrences? Of course not. But between 1982 and 2000, more than 200 U.S. real estate agents were killed on the job, according to a safety report published by the Kentucky Real Estate Commission. Untold other agents were raped or mugged.
I did some research on the Internet, and I came across some other weird stories … stalkers who make it a habit to call Realtors and make threats, crazies who like to go to Open Houses and defecate in back rooms, pretend buyers who get off on having purple carpet installed in a new home, only to disappear when the close of escrow date came close, etc. Whoa, doggies. Sometimes you have to wonder about this world.
Real estate professionals are caught between two different aspects of their job. First, in order to be successful they must be highly visible. Big money is spent to plaster their names, phone numbers and addresses in newspaper ads, movie screens, shopping carts, team T-shirts, insulation bands on gourmet coffees, etc. But none of the agents want to end up on the side of a milk carton.
In addition, agents spend a lot of time and effort in getting potential clients to feel comfortable around them. Agents try to put people at ease, to find commonalities in hobbies or families, find subjects on which they agree. It’s an ongoing popularity contest.
These two needs are juxtaposed to the need for safety, and the two are not a good match. In the following list, compiled from numerous sources, imagine trying to keep a warm and fuzzy relationship going while following the suggested guidelines for security.
Here are but a dozen of the scores of tips I discovered:
1. Ask new clients to stop by your office and complete a Prospect Identification Form, preferably in the presence of an associate. Get the client’s car make and license number. Photocopy the driver’s license. Retain this information at your office.
2. Call references and verify employment and current address.
3. Introduce the prospect to someone in your office. A would-be assailant does not like to be noticed or receive exposure, knowing a person could pick him/her out of a police lineup.
4. Make sure you leave a copy of the homes you intend to tour with the front desk. Make a point of letting your client see what you are doing. Bring a cell phone. Tell someone at your office you’ll call every hour, and then do it like clockwork so that person will know right away if something is wrong.
5. Don’t host an open house alone; take along a colleague. Never show property alone at night or advertise it as vacant.
6. Be careful how you dress. Avoid flashy or expensive jewelry. Don’t wear scarves or ties that might be a hand-hold for an attacker. Women real estate agents should avoid wearing high heels, but rather choose comfortable walking/running shoes, or, at least, flat-heel shoes.
7. Always use your own car for showings. When you leave your car, lock it. If possible, have the client follow in his/her own car.
8. Let potential buyers lead when exploring a home. Avoid basements or confined areas. Preview the property so you know where the exits are.
9. Create an alert code. If an agent is in trouble and is able to call into the office, she can ask for a “red” folder and give the address where she is located to alert staff that she needs immediate help.
10. Think safe personal marketing. To a stalker, your photo on a sign or in print is a personal ad. He determines if you have the ‘look’ he is seeking. Keep photos professional. Use P.O. boxes and voicemail systems. Keep your personal phone number unlisted.
11. Pay attention to your intuition. Trust your gut, and don’t discount any troubling feelings you might have about your new client.
12. Know how to defend yourself. Go for the eyes, throat, groin and the instep of the foot. Kicking the knees and groin is very effective from the ground. Scream, gouge, bite, and fight with whatever you have. Have a pepper-spray in your hand or a coat pocket. Have a ballpoint pen ready to jab.
Be kind to your Realtor. Keep them safe.
