Residential Real EstateOpen House Precautions
In the light of recent armed robberies of Realtors sitting open houses in the Dallas area, as well as post-home-viewing burglaries committed by criminals posing as buyers, the Greater Dallas Association of Realtors offers general safety and open house tips to Realtors.
"We want to get the information out to Realtors," says Bill Head, director of communications for the GDAR.
Open House Precautions
Upon entering a house for the first time, check all rooms and determine several "escape" routes.
Make sure all deadbolt locks are unlocked to facilitate a faster exit.
Make sure if you were to escape by the back door, that you could escape from the backyard. Frequently, high fences surround yards that contain swimming pools or hot tubs.
Place one of your business cards, with the date and time on the back, in a kitchen cupboard. Note on it if you were the first to arrive or if clients were waiting.
When prospects begin to arrive, jot down their car description, license number and physical description.
While showing the house, always walk behind the prospect. Direct them, don"t lead them. Say, for example, "the kitchen is on your left," and gesture for them to go ahead of you.
Watch what the prospects are doing at all times. Do not become preoccupied with viewing the home.
Notify someone in your office, your answering service, a friend or a relative that you will be calling in every hour on the hour. And if you don"t call, they are to notify the police immediately.
Inform a neighbor that you will be showing the house and ask if he would keep an ear open for anything out of the ordinary.
Have someone from your office, a relative or friend stay with you.
GDAR is also making hotlines available to off-duty and retired policemen so that agents can hire them as security for open houses. Head suggests that agents pool open houses as tours, so that costs can be minimized, agents can stay in touch with each other, and the officer can cruise the homes during the open house period.