We spoke with MAR Board Member William Huffman from A Good Life Group (RE/MAX Results) about his top tips for staying safe as a Realtor®:

A few things that I always do and encourage my agents to do.

1. Knock loudly—think police-knock. And when you enter the home say very loudly who you are, and who you’re with. I say “knock knock, William with RE/MAX” then I say “hello” loudly, as well. This ensures, mostly, that you won’t sneak up on someone or startle them. Also, if someone is there that shouldn’t be, it will alert them of your presence.
2. Always carry a flashlight. A flashlight is a powerful tool for a couple of reasons. First, it’s a flashlight and helps you see the home better, duh right? Second, darkness is what someone with ill intent may use to try and cover them. A strong flashlight will remove that. I carry Streamlight, but any high lumen light will work—at least 700.
3. Always let someone know when you are leaving and expect to be back. On a team it’s easy, we use Slack. If you are a solo agent maybe share your location in your phone with someone. I do believe ShowingTime has a safety feature like that.

And last but not least, trust your gut. If you have even the slightest thought that something is funky, cancel and/or bounce out quickly. Our personal spidey-sense is there for a reason. Trust it.

Never be afraid to ask a new client to meet you at your office during the day first. Your safety is more important than any amount of money.