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If you were asked for a short-list of the most dangerous professions, you almost certainly wouldn’t include Realtor®. After all, how dangerous can it be to help people buy and sell real estate? Surely, there are far more perilous jobs. While that’s true, it doesn’t negate the unique risks involved in the realm of real estate.

Realtor® Safety Month

The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) has designated September as Realtor® Safety Month. Even though being a Realtor® isn’t fraught with danger, aspects of the work present specific threats. For example, much of a Realtor’s® daily work involves dealing with the unknown—be it new clients, showing homes, or driving to unfamiliar places. There’s a good deal of risk involved in all these activities.

Which is why Realtor® Safety Month exists. “The goal of the Realtor® Safety Program is to reduce the number of safety incidents that occur in the industry, so every Realtor® comes home safely to his or her family every night.” Through careful planning, Realtors® can mitigate the risks involved in their work.

Have a Plan

Perhaps the most important—yet overlooked—aspect of staying safe is having a specific plan or strategy in place.Even though much of what you need to include in a plan will almost certainly never happen, it’s better to be prepared for unsafe situations than assume nothing bad will ever occur.

Many brokerages have resources to help with this, and you can also check out Realtor® Safety Tips from NAR for a comprehensive guide to staying safe.

Communicate

One important way to stay safe as a Realtor® is through communication. Since a big part of the job is being on the move, it’s vital that someone always knows your whereabouts. Thankfully, there are various systems that make this easy—whether it’s the simple use of “Find My iPhone” or other location tracking services, or something more advanced and real estate-specific like SentriLock or AgentSafeWalk.There are many tools you can utilize to keep yourself “visible” even when you’re out and about.

Of course, all tools using GPS services require a cell phone. So be sure you always travel with yours, and more importantly, that you have a way to charge it on the go. Whether through a car charger or portable power bank, you should make sure you have a backup in place for when your phone battery gets low.

Be Vigilant

When it comes to staying safe, you can’t be too aware. By staying vigilant and always being aware of your surroundings, you can prevent a dangerous situation. For example, never park in the driveway or at a dead end when attending a showing. You want to keep yourself from being trapped by another vehicle and able to make a quick exit from the property if needed. Additionally, always try to keep a client within sight. That means you should never have your back to a client, so don’t go upstairs or into a room ahead of them (plus, allowing others to enter a space first is a kind, professional gesture).

Finally, if anything about a client’s words or actions strike you as odd or suspicious, don’t sweep that under the rug. Trust your instincts and talk with another agent or broker before heading to a showing or meeting. Running these things by another trusted individual can help you plan and keep you safe.

Be sure to check out NAR’s Safety Resources and watch for additional content on Realtor® safety throughout the month.