Safety First!

This week at the sales meeting for the Indianapolis Metro offices, the guest speaker was Sargent A. J. Gwyn, from Atlanta Georgia.  The retired detective’s message was to remind us that we can take proactive steps to protect ourselves—and our clients—from the kinds of situations we too frequently read about or hear on the news.  While such occurrences are fairly rare, it’s wise to be prepared and to remember the basics we’ve all been taught, as well as some new wrinkles.

One of the best things Sgt. Gwyn told the group was to trust your gut instincts when it comes to assessing a new client or an open house visitor.  He quoted statistics that showed our gut instincts to be accurate the vast majority of the time, so he suggested we think of our gut “as our best friend” and to always listen to our best friend! 

He also noted that the most of home invasions occur on Thursday, and that the majority also occur from Monday through Thursday from 9am to about 2pm when chances are the homeowner is less likely to be around.  Good to keep in mind.  For open houses, he suggested being careful where we spread the word of such events, and he mentioned it could be a good idea to list another agent or even a spouse as hosting the open house with you in order to intimate that you won’t be there alone.  And of course we always remind our seller clients to safeguard all valuables, prescription drugs, and firearms.

Finally, we all remember some of the other basics:  Always let the buyer enter the house or the room or the stairway first, in front of you, never behind you; always maintain your personal space and step back if needed to maintain a six to eight foot separation from the other person; always maintain eye contact, as this will both let you gage the person’s intentions as well as giving you an air of confidence; and finally be aware of the person’s hands and where they are.  We’ve all heard these at some point, but we probably don’t always put them into action.

So don’t forget to be proactive and to trust your best friend!

David M. Hassler

Director of Coaching