Most people don’t think of property management as a dangerous job — unfortunately incidents of robbery and attacks against leasing and real estate agents have increased in recent years, making it critical to protect yourself when showing a rental property.
Being prepared and implementing proactive safety measures are the best way to ensure your safety during showings.
Follow these best practices to keep yourself safe while showing a rental property to prospective tenants.
Safety Tips for Showing PropertiesFollow these best practices to keep yourself safe while showing a rental property to prospective tenants.
Implement standard office safety procedures. NAR’s safety report found that only 46 percent of agents said their office has standard procedures for agent safety.
Keep trusted contacts in the loop. Let other people know where you’ll be and when to expect you to return — whether it’s a coworker, a spouse, or a friend. Some offices have codewords they can text to each other if there’s a situation, so that coworkers can step in, call the police, or implement an emergency procedure.
Prequalify new leads. Gather all the information you can about a potential tenant before you conduct a showing. Software like Tenant Turner helps you standardize your pre-qualification process. Prequalifying can prompt would-be attackers to self-select themselves out of a showing, because it gives you a wealth of their personal information.
Collect a photo ID of each person who will be at the showing. Refer to the ID at the time of the showing to confirm that you’re meeting with the right person.
Schedule showings during the day whenever possible, preferably during high traffic times in the neighborhood. If possible keep window blinds and curtains open for visibility from the street and sidewalk.
Schedule self showings — especially during evening and off hours, or in locations where you don’t feel safe. Many property managers have transitioned entirely to self showings for the business advantages as well as the safety benefits.
Have the tenant walk in before you. When showing the property, have the prospective tenant enter first. Don’t turn your back to them or go in front of them when entering the space.
Install temporary security cameras. Place the cameras in highly visible locations inside and outside the home. You might even mention them when you greet the prospective tenant, saying something like, “Don’t mind the security cameras, they’re temporary while the unit is vacant and we’ll uninstall them before you move in.”
Take away the window of opportunity. Weave into the conversation that you have another showing immediately after this one. The idea of others arriving soon can discourage would-be attackers.
Pay attention to the details. Does the prospect seem uninterested in the normal details that people look at? Is their behavior somehow abnormal or off? Don’t ignore those subtle cues and trust your instinct.
Protect yourself. Carry pepper spray, and take self-defense classes. Some property management companies will even pay for safety training seminars, as continuing education.
Know the layout of the home and be familiar with all the exits before you go in. Position yourself in easy reach of an exit at all times. When possible, be sure that the prospective tenant is never between you and an exit.
Use a leasing agent safety app. There are several mobile apps that are designed to help keep you safe when you’re showing a property to a prospective tenant. Some keep you connected to a “safety partner,” while others share your location with trusted contacts.
Related reading: 9 Must-Do Tips for Rental Property Showings That Seal the Deal
How Tenant Turner Helps Keep Property Showings Safe
Tenant Turner scheduling software helps make it easy to keep you safe when showing rental properties.
Self showings
The safest property showing is a self showing, because you don’t have to be on-site when the prospect is there.
Related: Greater Profits and Happier Tenants with Self-Showing Technologies
Prequalifications
Use Tenant Turner to prequalify your prospective tenants and easily capture photo IDs before the showing. Our automated process collects relevant information that you can use to disqualify potential scammers or persons with ill intentions before the showing.
Learn more about reducing vacancies, scams, and safety risks with self showings. Watch our on-demand webinar now!
