Remember Realtor® safety this month

Did you know that one in four real estate professionals are attacked or threatened on the job? Last year, The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) reported that over 25% of Realtors® said they had encountered a threatening or harassing situation at work.

The findings from NAR are staggering, but they serve as a great reminder. Real estate professionals face a greater risk than most other professionals as we perform our daily job functions. Understanding the risks we face can mean the difference between life and death.

NAR recognizes September as Realtor® Safety Month. Realtor® Safety Month is a great time to remind ourselves of the dangers we face every day, to be aware of our surroundings, and to empower ourselves with precautions and preparations so that we can avoid risky situations.

There is much we can learn and do to make ourselves safe in our important role of being available to the public, day and night.

NAR has also developed safety materials for use throughout the year – each one can be accessed by the links below:

• Realtor® safety videos
• Realtor® safety materials
• Realtor® safety webinars
• Realtor® safety articles and blog posts

In the category of webinars, the next upcoming one in NAR’s Realtor® safety series is TODAY – Removing Dangers and Working Safely at Foreclosures and Distressed Properties, to be presented by safety expert Stacey Hawkins. This free webinar will provide strategies and contingency plans to maximize safety while showing properties, hosting open houses, or evaluating REO, foreclosures, and distressed properties. T

If you are interested in additional information about Realtor® safety, please visit the Realtor.org safety website to find what you want.

This is just the start of our commitment to empowering our members. I wish all of you continued safety and prosperity in the coming years.