Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
One firm I spoke with makes sign calls mandatory for on call agents.
One major reason I went elsewhere.
I don't worry too much about sign calls, but a mandatory policy for all agents can too easily put vulnerable people in unsafe circumstances.
Of course, we are all vulnerable to a .357...
I am in Illinois which has some of the strictest hand guns laws in the U.S.
Open carry and concealed carry are not legal. One cannot register a hand gun in Chicago and several suburban communites so in effect, hand guns are not legal.
Over the years, I have become very aware of my surroundings.
I never meet strangers at the house - they must be pre-interviewed at my office.
Someone (office or DH) knows where I am at all times. We have a code word that we can call into the office, my DH or my kids that means get police there ASAP.
If I do open houses, the back door is unlocked.
At all showings, I have the customer/client walk in front of me.
I never park in driveways and if I must park in the drive, I never let myself be blocked in by
the customer/client.
I carry pepper spray and my cell on me always.
If my gut feeling says "don't do the showing" - I don't.
Have I ever had a problem in all my years in Real Estate. - No
I think realtors are the only narcissists who splash their picture on everything from billboards to signs to business cards ...advertise where they will be more than the media advertises where Obama will be...inviting all the perverts to show up at 123 Main St between the hours of noon and 4 and oh by the way, there is also cookies and punch. Just a dumb, dumb concept....I don't do open houses and sellers seem to appreciate that. I won't take you in my car if your wife is not with you and I won't meet you at a vacant property. And when the caller asks "oh so innocently"...Is the house Vacant? That is when the "creep meter" goes off.
I carry mace, but I don't know how I'd react in an unsafe situation. I used to carry pepper spray until I attended a really great seminar on safety and crime awareness taught by Andrew Wooten. He taught us that we are our own best weapon. Also how to get away, when to yield, and a plethora of other things. He has some tips on his website. I hope it's okay to post it ---> Just Be Safe (http://justbesafe.com/index.htm - broken link).
No, a 380 semi auto throwaway. With two clips. We have a make my day law here. It's one of the reasons Okies are polite and friendly.....you can both open carry and conceal carry. The guy you are rude to may have a gun.......so don't be rude.
No, a 380 semi auto throwaway. With two clips. We have a make my day law here. It's one of the reasons Okies are polite and friendly.....you can both open carry and conceal carry. The guy you are rude to may have a gun.......so don't be rude.
Dang, glad I practice in Panama now - don't need a gun. Do carry a machete in my truck but that's in case I need to chop some grass by one of my signs. Back in the day this just wasn't a problem and I never felt threatened when I practiced in the States. So you're from OK Goodpasture - I was raised outside of OKC, though now it's a suburb of the city. Ah, the good old days.
I knew a lady agent that was scheduled to meet 3 men in a field for a land sale... she packed heat... then when they saw the gun she told them of the wild boars in the area and it was in case they were around. while there is truth in the possibility it was for them.
Despite all the worries, have there been real cases of attacks to realtors at open houses?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.