The Stuart real estate market invites in professional realtors, home buyers, home sellers and sometimes even criminals. It is important that Stuart real estate professionals never drop their guard when dealing with clients whether they are interested in selling or buying homes for sale in Stuart.
The situations in the Stuart real estate market may be slightly different than other parts of the country just because it carries some high-end properties. Stuart luxury homes can attract clients looking for million dollar homes on the ocean front, Intracostal, golf greens, and other fantastic Stuart real estate locales. Although the exact Stuart homes for sale opportunities may be unique to Martin County, there are some characteristics about the real estate business that remain the same wherever you may be.
Who Are You With and Where Are You Going?
As realtors, part of the job is to recruit clients and visit properties. This places Stuart real estate professionals in vulnerable positions every month, if not week or day. Knowing who you are meeting with and where you are going is vital to your personal safety.
Findings from a 2015 research study conducted by NAR showed four out of 10 realtors encountered situations that scared them enough to fear for their personal safety or the safety of their personal information.
The best way to stay safe when showing homes for sale in Stuart or elsewhere, be sure to keep the following tips in mind:
- In Office Meeting: Always, without fail, meet unknown clients in the office. Never arrange to meet them at a property.
- Get Identification: Make a copy of their official identification at the first meeting. If they don’t have identification, then you need to reschedule any home tours you may have planned. You shouldn’t step out of the office without having a copy of their I.D. on file.
- Determine a Distress Code: The office should have a code that alerts the office and other realtors if an uncomfortable situation is occurring. It could be a word, phrase or numbers. For example, one office used the phrase “red file” to signal trouble. Realtors were encouraged to call or text a message using those words to signal that help was needed.
September is REALTOR® Safety Month
In honor of REALTOR® Safety Month, the National Association of REALTORS® is sponsoring a free Safety Webinar on Sept. 14 entitled “Get Smart About Smart Homes and Your Safety.” Traditional methods like window locks, deadbolts, and basic security systems are being replaced with different types of smart home devices that you and your clients need to know about to remain safe and protected.
The one-hour webinar is designed to inform Stuart real estate professionals and others about the best ways to ensure their safety in this brave new technology-driven world that comes with advanced devices that can outsmart even the best of us when we don’t know how they work. Learn more about what’s up and coming in smart homes so you can inform your clients as well as protect yourself while on the job.
