BY JOANNA ROWELL , JONES & CO . REALTY
S eptember 30 , 2014 started out as any regular day . Beverly Carter was showing prospective customers a vacant property that they had inquired on . Business as usual . But no one could foresee what horror would happen next . Beverly Carter was attacked , kidnapped for ransom , and later murdered by the customer . In the wake of this horrifying tragedy , Beverly ’ s son Carl Carter has taken up a responsibility and duty to travel nationwide and share his mother ’ s story , as well as a few safety tips that he feels all real estate professionals should practice . Mr . Carter recently spoke to the Women ’ s Council of Realtors ® Cape Coral-Fort Myers network , on behalf of the Beverly Carter Foundation , and here are some of the tips that he says everyone in the practice should utilize .
1 . Profile the Customer
On the day of her murder , Beverly did several things right . For instance , she kept physical printouts of all the properties that she was showing the customers . The printouts were kept in a folder along with the contact information and names of the customers . The folder was left in her car , in case of emergency . One of the key mistakes Beverly Carter made , though , was failing to verify the identity of her customers . The customers used fake names and contact information . Carl Carter says that you should always feel comfortable to ask your customers to show their identification . He also suggests that if you are showing a property that is vacant , to meet your customers in a public place before the showing , rather than first meeting at the property .
2 . Trust your gut and be confident
Distractions are a part of life , especially in today ’ s technoage . But , Carl says it is very important to always be alert , and aware of your surroundings . As Real Estate professionals we interact with the public on a daily basis . In doing so , we can sometimes write off unusual or concerning behavior . It is imperative that you trust your gut instinct , and react if you feel uncomfortable . Too often Realtors ® are nervous or afraid to react or say something when their instincts are telling them that something is amiss , for fear of losing a potential customer . But no closing is worth your safety OR your life .
3 . Use the “ buddy system ”
Perhaps the most important tip to take from this story is to always have someone backing you up . Beverly Carter made sure that her family knew about the showings and appointment times in advance . When it started to get late , they immediately knew where to start the search . If you feel unsafe or insecure about a customer or situation , don ’ t hesitate to ask for help . Whether it ’ s your broker , a fellow Realtor ®, or even a spouse or family member to just sit in the car with you , the safety and security of the buddy system is a failsafe . If you can ’ t find someone to accompany you , always at least make sure to let people know your location , as well as times of appointments . This way there ’ s a backup of information , should the unimaginable happen . This isn ’ t just true for showing appointments , however . This advice can also help you for open houses , or listing appointments as well .
Safety is an important thing to practice year-round , but September is a great time to take a hard look at what you ’ re doing right – and what you could be doing better .
The following tips come from NAR ’ s Realtor ® Safety Resource Kit . To read more tips , and educate yourself more on the best safety practices , visit www . nar . realtor / Safety . There you will find a wealth of knowledge and resources compiled by NAR to help YOU better understand safety risks you face .
12 RPCRA . ORG | SEP / OCT 2018