September is winding down as I write this, and the month will be behind us by the time you read this. But I want to focus on Realtor safety one last time.
Last week, Greater Chattanooga Realtors hosted a safety webinar by Carl Carter, Jr. His mom, Realtor Beverly Carter, lost her life at the hands of two clients in 2014. Since his mother’s passing, Carl has dedicated as much time as possible to spreading the message of Realtor safety.
Through Carl’s webinar, “Your Safety is Non-Negotiable,” he walked through his mother’s tragic death and how a few key moments can mean life or death for Realtors.
Carl also took us through various safeguards that can help make sure we’re as safe as possible when working with new and prospective clients.
Carl’s webinar was a sobering reminder of the potentially dangerous situations we all encounter each day. It also reminded me of how we all need to stay vigilant with our presence – in person and online.
Realtors need to promote themselves and maintain visibility, but this can lead to dangerous situations. In the 2020 Member Safety Report, 23% of Realtors were more likely to say they had experienced a situation that made them fear for their personal safety or the safety of their personal information.
Believe me, Realtors know firsthand how stressful the homebuying process can be. In a market such as ours, it’s easy to get swept up in the fast-paced and sometimes frenzied race to find that perfect home. However, it’s important that we don’t cut corners when it comes to safety.
One way the Realtor community can help homeowners have the best possible experience is address best practices related to safety and security. That’s what our goal has been for this past month.
The bottom line is this. Realtors love serving our community, and we want nothing more than to help our clients in a safe and professional manner.
Realtors play many important roles in their respective communities. We get to help people fulfill their dreams and make connections for homebuyers and sellers, among other things. We also care very much about the experience clients have well after they purchase or sell a home.
Safety is our priority year-round. Realtors are focused on protecting our clients and ourselves. That’s Who We R.
Greater Chattanooga Realtors is The Voice of Real Estate in Greater Chattanooga. A regional organization with more than 2,000 members, Greater Chattanooga Realtors is one of 300 local boards and associations of Realtors nationwide that comprise the National Association of Realtors. Greater Chattanooga Realtors service Hamilton and Sequatchie counties in southeast Tennessee and Catoosa, Dade and Walker counties in northwest Georgia. For more information, visit www.gcar.net or call 423 698-8001.