Prompted by recent attacks on realtors, I have recently conducted several personal safety seminars for local real-estate offices designed to address some safety considerations.  Although these personal safety concepts are written particularly for those in the real estate industry, they can apply to any type of home services or sales jobs where a service provider or salesperson goes on-site for work in a non-public location.






The safety concerns for realtors and service providers who travel to homes that stand out to me are:

• Meeting an unknown person alone in a vacant property
  
• Being alone while showing an open-house 
  
• Encroachment and confrontation from an occupant (homeowner, renter, squatter, etc.)
  
• Showing or visiting a home in an area known to have high crime rates
  

I was relieved to hear that some of these are not common practice, particularly meeting a new client alone in a vacant property.  There are several preventative safety protocols that can be taken to mitigate risk, such as notifying your coworkers and family members about your schedule and locations, showing open houses with another person present, and meeting your clients publicly before taking them to see properties. However, I was informed that real-estate agents do not always have the luxury of having another person present at an open house, and anybody can just drop in.  

A few realtors in a recent seminar expressed that at some point in their career, they had a bad feeling about someone they encountered while working or commuting to work.  The most important piece of advice I have with respect to on-site jobs is listening to your instincts and intuition.  If something doesn't feel right before entering a property, don’t go in.  If something feels off when you’re already engaged at a property, make an exit.

Understand that attacks can be deception-based or immediate ambush based.  Deception-based meaning that they attacker could be acting as potential buyers wanting to view a house with the aim of getting you into a secluded, vacant house with the intent to assault or rob you.  The physical attack itself is still an ambush; an attacker could attack on first contact or when he thinks you are unaware, for example, when you have your back turned unlocking a door.

The first thing to watch is where the person directs their attention.  The person you are dealing with should have their attention mostly centered on the product or the service!  Your client should be focusing on exploring the environment, and not primarily fixated on you. 

One thing you can do if you feel uneasy is to set up the expectation that you will not be alone.  If you do end up in a situation where you are forced to meet someone alone at a vacant property, you can set up the expectation that someone else will be arriving.  For example, you could say,

“Please don’t be alarmed when someone else walks in.  One of my colleagues is showing this house to a couple and he’s a few minutes behind me.”

Anyone who does not have bad intentions will not think twice about this statement.  It will not register with them and will not matter. However, pay close attention to any behavioral changes or responses to this statement and listen to your gut instinct.   Any change in behavior should be a clear indication that something is not right.  If your statement makes them uneasy, this is a huge red flag.  You have stated that the two of you will not be alone for long, and a potential attacker does not want other people present. 

Promptly after saying this, you should contact (by text or call) an emergency contact (partner, office worker, local authorities) to let them know that you are in a position that you feel unsafe.  If you have an emergency strategy for contacting help in place ahead of time, all you are doing is implementing the plan.  If you haven’t preemptively made a plan, you cannot expect others to quickly grasp that you are in need of help.  Keep in mind that your safety is in YOUR hands.  If you need to make an exit, do so.  If you are attacked, fight!

Remember that you are the expert in your line of work.  You understand what normal behavior looks like, so trust your gut when it tells you something is not “normal.”  When something is not right be vigilant, and when necessary, take action to remove yourself from the situation.

Train smart & stay safe!

Evan D.
Owner/Lead Coach
NOVA Self Defense
www.novaselfdefense.com

NOVA Self Defense offers self-defense and personal safety training for real estate agencies and other corporate entities in the Washington DC and the surrounding areas. To set up a training event please email: [email protected]

Many of you at one point or another may have heard someone say, "Just give them what they want and they won't hurt you" or "If you try to resist, you are just going to get hurt". This line of reasoning presumes by acting submissive and giving in to the predator, then you are more likely to survive the encounter unharmed. However, someone who threatens with violence to get what they want probably picked you because they assumed you would do just that.

Recently, while doing some research to prepare for a seminar, I came across a study from 2005 that provides some data indicating fighting back does not increase your chances of getting hurt. Furthermore, it does increase your chances of preventing the assault, specifically in the case of this study it was rape. The authors reviewed data from the National Crime Victimization Survey and determined that "self-protection actions", that is defending oneself, did not have a significant impact on the injury outcome of victims. The did detect a significant reduction in rape completion when self-protection actions were taken.

For the full article, click here: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/211201.pdf

Scott V.
Lead Coach

Do you know someone in a relationship with a very possessive or jealous partner? Are they constantly afraid of what their significant other might think about their actions? Do they check in frequently or get numerous questions about their activities? Are they frequently having “accidents” or trying to hide injuries and bruises? These are all signs of an abusive relationship.

Whether it’s you or a friend in an abusive relationship, the most important thing you can do is seek help. Numerous resources exist for victims of abuse. I have listed a few below. However, none of these resources work if you do not choose to take action. If it’s a friend, make the effort to ask them if something is wrong and offer to help. If you find yourself in one of these situations, you need to make the decision to defend yourself. Not by physical action, rather by acknowledging that you need help and reaching out to family, friends, or one of the resources below.

http://www.thehotline.org/

http://www.helpguide.org/topics/abuse.htm

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dsm/dviolence/rscorganizationsatoz.htm

http://www.dccadv.org/

Gavin de Becker in his book The Gift of Fear describes how victims of abuse can come to believe that they are not worth protecting. This false perception is similar to a problem in self-defense situations where certain people, particularly women, will do anything to protect others (e.g., children) but not themselves. Tony Blauer’s solution to overcome this mental obstacle is to identify something that is personal, passionate, and present, whether it is your son, daughter, favorite food, or something else entirely. Then you can use this to create a sense of indignation by realizing the attacker or abuser is trying to take that thing away from you. If you are no longer around, who is going to care for and protect your children?

No form of abuse can be justified. Regardless of if its spousal abuse, child abuse or date rape, it should not be tolerated. If you recognize the signs, offer to help. If you find yourself in one of these difficult situations, know that help is there for you.