What does REALTOR® safety mean to you? Perhaps your mind turns to agents working alone and the challenge of staying safe in the field. Or maybe you’re concerned about data security since cyberattacks are on the rise. You might even be worried about the psychological effects of a highly competitive and volatile market, which can be a challenge for even your most seasoned agents.
The National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) is deeply dedicated to the welfare and safety of our members and is wholly committed to helping REALTORS® stay safe and well. To that end, we’ve developed a multi-pronged strategy that includes a robust REALTOR® Safety Program and a very active REALTOR® Safety Advisory Committee whose members are working tirelessly to heighten the safety culture and develop programs to improve member safety.
Awareness is key
Broker Janet Judd is the 2022 chair of the REALTOR® Safety Advisory Committee, a former police officer and a recent graduate of the FBI Citizens Academy in Saint Louis. “Through my work with REALTOR® safety, what stands out most is that members don’t understand the risks,” says Judd. “Whenever I tell them that the Department of Labor has officially declared us a high-risk occupation, it takes their breath away. They are shocked to hear that 60,000 REALTORS® have been a victim of a violent crime like assault, rape, robbery or murder. So, raising awareness of the risks is the first step toward keeping our members safe.”
Increasing REALTOR® safety
September is REALTOR® Safety Month, the perfect time to build awareness around safety concerns, reassess office protocols and focus on keeping your agents—and your business—as safe as possible.
To ensure you have everything you need to develop a safety strategy, NAR’s REALTOR® Safety Program offers a Broker Toolkit with a full range of resources to help you build up defenses to protect your people and property—from weekly social media messaging to safety courses and trainings to pre-designed safety forms and best practices.
A key resource offered through the REALTOR® Safety Program is our webinars, presented by industry experts. Share them with your agents throughout the year to keep safety top of mind.
Personal safety webinars
Agents spend a lot of time thinking about property values, but they may forget to think about their own worth. These webinars raise awareness and empower agents to avoid becoming a victim:
- Every Agent’s Five-Step Plan for Open Houses
- Avoiding REALTOR® Danger Zones
- Selling Safely: Because It Can Happen to You
Data security and cyber safety webinars
Learn how to keep your office data and client information secure, as well as what to do if there is a breach.
- Data Security and Cyber Safety
- Are You & Your Data an Easy Target?
- Identity Theft: Protecting You & Your Clients
- Social Media & Cyber Safety
Mental wellness webinars
Along with the many rewards of working in real estate, there can be challenges that affect mental health. These webinars provide an honest take on the issue and provide strategies to balance mental health and work.
- It’s OK to Not Be OK! Prioritizing Your Mental Wellness
- Harness Your Mental Strength
- An Open Conversation About Mental Wellness
Take advantage of these webinars and other REALTOR® Safety Program resources to arm your agents with information, increase their capacity to protect themselves and their clients, and make them less susceptible to property or personal safety risks.
Make safety a priority year-round! Visit www.nar.realtor/safety/ to learn more about the REALTOR® Safety Program and access all of NAR’s safety resources.
