NEVER MEET ANYONE ALONE AT A VACANT OR UNOCCUPIED HOME

REAL ESTATE AGENT SAFETY ALERT

!!! ATTENTION !!!
REALTOR SAFETY ALERT BULLETIN

We care about agent safety, buyers please be understanding about our caution and probing questions, there are many valid reasons. Agents don't be too eager to help everyone that must see NOW, they’re not going to buy NOW! It’s a process…

Agents you can’t please everyone all the time and your safety should come first above all. Don't be afraid to turn down or reschedule requests from potential clients. Being too eager to help every client can be dangerous!

NEVER MEET ANYONE ALONE AT A VACANT OR UNOCCUPIED HOME

Bulletin Release from Middlesex County Association of Realtors December 12, 2009

In May of 2007, we sent an email advising that several members of  MCAR were receiving phone calls from man from a "restricted number". The caller would say he saw their picture in a real estate magazine and ask the agent to go out with him on a date. He first started making calls in 2006 and continued to call agents in 2007.

This week, one of our members called our office to tell us she received a call from a man at an "unknown" number who asked her out on a date. She told him she was married and hung up. The next day she received a call from a man named "Mavi" with the phone number - 000-012-3456 (a computer generated number) - who wanted to see a home which happened to be vacant. She didn't realize it was the same man from the day before until she met him at the home and heard his voice. At the home, he asked if he could kiss her and he leaned toward her. She got out of the house and called the police. He did not have a car parked by the home. He may have parked down the street or around the corner.

She described him as 5' 11" tall, 130 lbs. and between the ages of 25-30. She also said his hair was a little long and straggly and he had a strange look in his eyes.

 We are asking all our members, especially the women, to BE CAREFUL and NEVER MEET SOMEONE ALONE AT A VACANT OR UNOCCUPIED HOME. It might also be wise to avoid advertising any property as vacant, even if it is vacant.

You can read more about keeping safe by going to the Field Guide to Realtor® Safety at: http://www.realtor.org/library/library/fg201