September is REALTOR® Safety Month, an important reminder that staying safe on the job starts with preparation, awareness, and consistent habits.
Real estate professionals regularly meet new people, work alone, enter vacant properties, and travel to unfamiliar locations. While those situations are often a routine part of the business, taking a few extra precautions can help REALTORS® reduce risk and feel more prepared during showings, open houses, and client meetings.
Here are several safety practices from the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) to keep in mind.
Know the Common Risks
Understanding potential risks is the first step toward preparing for them.
Many of the safety concerns real estate professionals encounter are tied to the nature of the job: working alone, meeting unfamiliar people, visiting vacant or remote properties, carrying visible valuables, and becoming distracted while managing multiple visitors at an open house.
Crowded open houses can also create opportunities for theft or make it more difficult to track who has entered and exited a property.
Recognizing these situations—and having a plan for how you'll respond—can help you take a more proactive approach to personal safety.
Screen New Clients Before Meeting
Safety begins before you arrive at a property.
Before scheduling a private showing, verify the prospective client's identity and contact information. When possible, make your first meeting at your office or another public location rather than meeting an unknown client for the first time at a vacant property.
Asking questions about their budget, timeline, financing, and property needs can also help establish legitimate intent before an appointment.
Once a showing is scheduled, share the client's name, appointment time, and property address with your office or a trusted contact. Establishing a check-in time gives someone else a way to recognize quickly if something isn't right.
Prepare Before a Showing
Before heading to an appointment, make sure your phone is fully charged and someone knows where you will be and when you expect to return. Safety apps with check-in features, countdown timers, or emergency alerts can provide another layer of protection.
Arrive early enough to familiarize yourself with the property, identify exits, and look for areas that could present a safety concern.
Driving separately to a property can also help you maintain control over your transportation and departure. Limit the valuables you carry and avoid entering secluded areas of a property if you feel uncomfortable.
Stay Aware During the Showing
Once a showing begins, maintain awareness of your surroundings and keep yourself positioned so you have access to an exit.
When possible, allow clients to enter rooms ahead of you rather than turning your back to them or entering confined spaces first. Avoid allowing yourself to become cornered or blocked from a doorway.
Above all, trust your instincts. If a person, property, or situation makes you uncomfortable, prioritize your safety and leave.
Make Open House Safety Part of Your Plan
Open houses create different safety considerations because multiple people may enter and leave a property throughout the event.
Whenever possible, schedule open houses during daylight hours and consider having a colleague or trusted partner co-host. Establish clear entry and exit points, and use a visitor sign-in process that includes identification.
Before the event begins, walk through the entire property and familiarize yourself with each room and exit. Homeowners should also be encouraged to secure valuables, prescription medications, financial documents, and other sensitive items before visitors arrive.
After the open house, conduct another walk-through to make sure everyone has left before locking up.
Regularly reviewing open house protocols with your brokerage or team can help make these precautions part of everyone's routine.
Keep Simple Safety Tools Within Reach
A few practical tools can provide additional support while you're working in the field.
Consider carrying a portable phone battery, high-lumen flashlight, personal alarm or whistle, or a discreet panic button or wearable connected to a safety app. Some safety apps allow users to trigger an alert or share their status and location with a designated contact.
Before carrying any personal safety device, make sure it complies with applicable laws and your brokerage's policies.
Make Safety a Habit
REALTOR® Safety Month may take place each September, but personal safety should remain a priority throughout the year.
Small habits—screening new clients, sharing your itinerary, keeping your phone charged, identifying exits, checking in with someone you trust, and listening to your instincts—can become an important part of the way you do business.
Take time this month to review your current safety practices, talk with your brokerage or team, and identify where you can strengthen your routine.
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