Throughout September, EMTAR is joining the National Association of REALTORS in recognizing REALTOR Safety Month.

We have looked at the importance of REALTOR® safety and at developing a personal safety strategy. This week, we want to get even more practical.

NAR has compiled 56 safety tips for REALTORS, covering everything from meeting prospective clients and showing properties to open houses, driving, cybersecurity, and protecting personal information.

Here are several reminders worth incorporating into your everyday routine.

Let Someone Know Where You Are

This may be one of the simplest—and most important—habits an agent can develop.

Before meeting a client or heading to a property, make sure someone knows your destination, whom you are meeting, and approximately when you expect to return. Brokerages can also establish formal check-in and check-out procedures so agents are not working entirely on their own.

A quick text, call, or office check-in takes only a moment.

Be Careful with New Clients

Whenever possible, meet a new prospect initially at your office or another public location rather than meeting a stranger for the first time at an empty property.

Confirming basic identifying information beforehand can also be an important part of your safety routine.

Next week, we will highlight one tool EMTAR provides to members specifically to help with that process: FOREWARN.

Stay Aware During Showings

When showing a property, let the prospective buyer walk ahead while you direct the tour from behind. This helps you maintain awareness of your surroundings and keeps you from being led into an area where you could become trapped.

Before entering, check your phone signal. This can be particularly important when showing rural properties, commercial locations, vacant homes, or other places where cellular reception may be limited.

Think about your vehicle as well. Park somewhere visible and, when possible, in a position that allows you to leave easily.

Use Extra Caution at Open Houses

Open houses create their own set of challenges because several people may be entering and leaving a property at once.

Whenever possible, avoid hosting an open house alone. At the conclusion of the event, do not simply assume everyone has left. NAR recommends having another person help check the property—including rooms and the backyard—before locking up.

Keeping blinds or shades open and maintaining visibility can also help you remain aware of what is happening inside and outside the home.

Protect Your Personal Information

Safety today includes digital safety.

Be thoughtful about how much personal information you make publicly available. Your home address, personal routines, family information, and other details generally do not need to be part of your professional presence.

NAR’s safety tips also caution against leaving sensitive personal information visible during a showing and emphasize taking appropriate precautions with computers, email, and other technology.

Have an Exit Plan

If something feels wrong, give yourself permission to leave.

You might receive an urgent “call from the office,” remember another appointment, or simply tell the client that you need to step outside. Some offices even establish a predetermined distress code that agents can use when calling a colleague for help without alerting the person who is with them.

You do not have to wait until you can prove that something is wrong.

Your safety comes first.

Most REALTOR interactions are positive ones with people who simply want professional help buying or selling property. Practicing good safety habits does not mean approaching people with fear or suspicion. It means approaching your work with the same professionalism and preparation you bring to every other part of the transaction.

And when good safety practices become routine, they can help protect not only REALTORS® but also our clients, colleagues, and communities.

Next week, we’ll conclude our REALTOR® Safety Month series by looking at tools and resources that can add another layer of protection—including an especially valuable resource available to EMTAR members at no additional cost.

#MakeItHome

About EMTAR: Chartered in 1969, our Association’s 1,200+ REALTORS are a proud part of the 36,000+ members of Tennessee REALTORS and of the 1.5 million+ members of NAR, all working to serve the public and protect the rights of America’s property owners. EMTAR members are known not only for their unmatched real estate excellence and high ethical standards, but also for being generous, hospitable, others-focused, loyal, hardworking, and eager to help wherever and whenever help is needed.