The National Association of Realtors® released the 2017 Member Safety Report on Monday. The survey asked Realtors® from across the country how safe they feel while on the job, and nearly 3,200 answered questions about their personal experiences and the safety procedures and materials provided by their brokerage.
For the third year in a row, the report found that 9 in 10 Realtors® have never been the victim of crime, and less than 40 percent have found themselves in situations where they have feared for their safety or the safety of their personal information. Of those who more commonly found themselves in situations of fear, 44 percent were women and 40 percent were real estate professionals in suburban areas. The survey found that over half of surveyed members carry a self-defense weapon: female Realtors® are more likely to carry pepper spray, while male Realtors® more commonly carry a firearm.
The most common circumstances that resulted in fearful situations were open houses, showing vacant and model homes, working with properties that were unlocked or unsecured and showing homes in remote areas.
The survey found that 39 percent of real estate agents have participated in self-defense classes as a proactive safety measure, and 44 percent use a smart phone safety application to track their whereabouts or alert colleagues of an emergency. In addition, before showing a property, the typical Realtor® meets about half of their prospective buyers – whom they have not previously met – in a real estate office or other neutral location.
In September and throughout the year, NAR supports REALTOR® Safety with resources at www.NAR.realtor/Safety.
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