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uRealtor Safety
 
Here are some safety tips for Realtors:
  1. Stick to daytime showings.
  2. Share your schedule.
  3. Keep your personal information private.
  4. Park on the main street, facing a quick exit.
  5. Park with no barrier in the front of your car for quick escape.
  6. Leave your belongings in the car.
  7. Carry your phone on your person while showing.
  8. Arrive to the property 10-15 minutes before your showing
    1. Turn on all lights
    2. Unlock all doors
    3. Know the flow of the property
  9. Allow your buyers to go ahead of you into the showing and into rooms- don’t allow for the opportunity to be trapped in a space.
  10. Never turn your back to them, go into a basement or space without an easy out option.
  11. Carry a self-defense mechanism that YOU feel comfortable using/operating.
    1. Mace
    2. Stun Gun
    3. Taser
    4. Hand Gun
    5. Personal favorite- flashlight with stun gun attached to the other end. Looks like a flashlight but when a particular button is pushed, the stun gun will activate.
  12. If a questionable individual is around you; call a emergency contact and place your phone in your pocket or bag that you carry with you.  
  13. Take a self-defense class.
  14. Bring a fellow agent, friend, family member along to the showing.
  15. If you have the time before showing, meet them at the office and get a copy of their drivers license- call it ‘protocol’, safety protocol.
Personal note: I have felt unsafe at showings before- I am sure many of you have. What to do? I call someone who knows my ‘emergency’ words and I put my phone in my pocket while I am on the phone with them.  If I need help, I could use my code word (or yell for help) and that person could get help to me ASAP.
 
Recommended protection items:
MACE
  • Sabre Pepper Spray (several options: handheld, key chains are most common)
    • Safety feature of a flip top to access the release button for the mace to spray. Grip Trigger, sprays up to 20 times, 12 ft range.
  • Sabre Triple Action Mace
    • Sprays Mace, Tear Gas, UV Dye
    • Handheld, safety trigger guard, grip trigger, up to 12 ft range
    • Full size and compact options
(PROS- allows you to spray from a distance and provide you time to escape. CONS- Can be harmful to you as well if the mace drifts/sprays into your eyes, so be careful)
STUN GUN
  • Flashlight & Stun Gun
    • One end is a flashlight with various light flash options, the other can activate as a stun gun.
  • Handheld Stun Gun
(PROS- allows for a temporary crippling effect of the person. CONS- you must be able to touch the Stun Gun to their persons in order to use.  It would only be useful in close contact situations and it could be turned to use on you, if you are not careful.)
HANDGUN
  • Revolvers
    • Smith & Wesson 642 Airweight / .38 special
    • Smith & Wesson 43C / .22lr
    • Smith & Wesson 637 / .38 special + P
(ABOVE MODELS ARE HAMMERLESS. That means, you point and pull the trigger without the need to ‘cock’ the gun or load a bullet into the chamber- you are ready at all times. Depending on the gun, you have 5-6 bullets in and ready to shot when the trigger is pulled on repeat. Some have a laser grip built into the gun- when you hold it, a red dot is projected on the target. This helps you know your aim is more accurate.)
  • Pistols
    • Beretta Tomcat / .32 acp
    • Springfield Hellcat / 9mm
    • Smith & Wesson EZ Shield  9mm or .380
 
(ABOVE MODELS are guns that need a clip, this holds the bullets in it before it is inserted into the gun.  In order to access the bullets inside the clip, you must first rack back the gun and load a bullet into the chamber. Once you have prepared the gun by pulling it back, you can then shoot until the clip is empty.)
 
PLEASE NOTE- USING ANY OF THESE PRODUCTS REQUIRES CONFIDENCE IN YOURSELF & YOUR ABILITY TO USE THE WEAPON.
KNOW YOUR ABILITIES AND MAKE CERTAIN THAT WHEN THE TIME COMES TO USE THEM, THAT YOU HAVE NO HESITATION. HESITATION CAN BE DETRIMENTAL TO YOU AND COULD ALLOW FOR YOUR INTENDED PROTECTION METHOD TO BE TURNED AND USED AGAINST YOU. 
ONCE YOUR WEPON IS VISABLE, IT CAN BECOME A THREAT TO THE OFFENDER AND TO YOURSELF.
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MY ADVICE- BE TRAINED: BUY YOUR PREFERRED METHOD OF DEFENSE ITEM AND KNOW IT’S POWER. ATTEND SAFETY CLASSES, TAKE YOUR GUN TO THE RANGE TO PRACTICE TARGET SHOOTING OR TAKE A LESSON. SELF DEFENSE CLASSES ARE OFFERED AROUND BIRMINGHAM AND YOU SHOULD HAVE NO SHAME IN ATTENDING… IF IT SAVES YOUR LIFE, IT IS WORTH IT.