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You may have heard in the news that two northeast Ohio real estate agents were murdered last week, and a third one was held at gun point and robbed – all separate incidents. All were in the process of showing homes to supposed buyers in the cities in which they worked.

It was ironic since September is deemed to be Realtor® Safety Month. Our various associations have chosen that month to remind us of the steps we need to take to be safe on the job. One might not think that being a Realtor® could be a hazardous job, but we’re easy prey because we often are showing homes to people we barely know. The welcome screen on our MLS system alerts us to suspicious behavior or crimes so we can be on the look-out.

In the years I’ve been in the business, I’ve noticed agents have been changing the way they do business.

• Fewer open houses are being held. With most Internet sites allowing us to post many photos and the use of video tours, there is less need to subject a seller’s possessions to potential theft. Serious buyers can get a good idea of the interior of the home and if interested, can set up a showing with their agent. Agents are also less willing to expose themselves to the personal risk of holding an open house where total strangers are coming through the door. If you drive around Delaware County on a Sunday afternoon, have you noticed how few open house signs are on the corners of intersections (other than builders’ models)? A few years ago, those signs sprouted like spring dandelions but not anymore.
• Don’t expect an agent to be a “pop-tart”. Pop-tart is the name we give to agents who will rush to show a home to a buyer with a mere phone call. It happens when a buyer calls to say they want to see a particular home “right now” or in an hour or two. The eager (desperate) agent pops-up to go show the home without even knowing whether the buyer is qualified to purchase it. Most agents just aren’t doing this anymore as it’s too risky and can be wasted effort if the buyer hasn’t even talked to a lender yet.
• Expect to be asked to CITO. When a buyer first contacts an agent about buying a home, the professional agent will require the buyer to Come-Into-The-Office for a preliminary meeting. The agent will gather all key info from the buyer, discuss their criteria and goals, inform them of the buying process and set-up for them to meet with a lender so they know what price of home the buyer is apt to be approved to buy.
• You may be asked to drive your own car. Fewer agents are loading buyers into their own car to view homes. They ask the buyer to follow them in the buyer’s car. There are several reasons for this, one of which is the agent’s safety. There are two other economic reasons for agents. One is that it can reduce the amount of car insurance and the liability if there is an accident. The other is that it doesn’t require the agent to buy an over-sized car in order to carry additional people.

If you’re a buyer, you may notice a change in the way the agents work now versus years ago unless you personally know the agent. Please don’t take offense with it and certainly don’t take it personally. The agent is doing what they think is necessary to protect their life. You would do the same.

Read more “Safety” articles

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