
In 2023, 22% of residential Realtors® experienced a situation that made them fear for their personal safety or the safety of their personal information, a slight decrease from 2022 (23%), according to the National Association of Realtors® Member Safety Residential Report.
While September marks Realtor® Safety Month, Realtors® need to be aware and practice safety all year round. Realtors® are dedicated real estate professionals willing to go the extra mile, but, when meeting new people in unfamiliar homes – a key aspect of the Realtor® job – safety should come first.
The top situations in which Realtors® feared for their personal safety last year included:
- Other (30%)
- After receiving a threatening or inappropriate email, text message, phone call or voicemail (29%)
- During a showing (26%)
- During an open house (25%)
- While meeting a new client for the first time at a secluded location/property (22%)
- While meeting a new client for the first time in a public place (6%)
- While driving a client in their car (3%)
The report also notes that more female than male Realtors® feared for their safety (25% vs. 16%), and Realtors® practicing in suburban areas were significantly more likely to feel threatened (48%, compared to 23% in urban areas, 17% in small towns and 13% in rural areas).
Still, 95% of Realtors® said they have not been a victim of a crime (violent or not) while working as a real estate professional, a decrease from 98% in 2022.
Realtors® can take various steps to protect themselves and ensure their safety. A notable 71% of Realtors® said they had personal safety protocols in place to follow with every client, and 51% said their brokerage had standard procedures for agent safety.
Other ways Realtors® reported prioritizing their safety included:
- Taking a self-defense class (38%)
- Carrying self-defense weapons (50%)
- Using smartphone safety apps (67%)
- Attending a Realtor® safety course (19%)
For more Realtor® safety tips and information:
- Register for this month’s PAR webinar, “Prospect or Predator? Reduce the Risk of Being Attacked Without Sacrificing the Sale!” on Sept. 12 at 10 a.m.
- Check out NAR’s Realtor® Safety Program, which includes articles, training videos, webinars, tips and more
- Read previous JustListed articles on Realtor® safety
Topics
Member Discussion
Recent Articles
-
Homeowner’s Insurance Problems? We’ve Got a Form for That!
- February 14, 2025
- 4 min. read
Whether working with buyers or sellers, be sure to take another look at these existing contingencies to understand how they might work in your transactions, and then talk with your clients.
-
Young Adults Still Waiting to Move Out
- February 13, 2025
- 2 min. read
The most recent data from 2023 reported 17.8% of young adults living with parents in Pennsylvania, with neighboring states seeing some of the highest shares.
-
10 Luxury Home Trends of 2024
- February 12, 2025
- 2 min. read
Luxury homeowners went big last year, focusing on health and well-being, comfort and security and finding joy.
Daily Emails
You’ll be the first to know about real estate trends and various legal happenings. Stay up-to-date by subscribing to JustListed.