Key Takeaways
- Don’t let a direct caller into your house until you know for sure they are who they say
they are. - Ask for a few pieces of ID such as a phone number, email address, and scanned driver’s
license. Then verify them. - Don’t be afraid you will offend a potential prospect. They will understand.
The manner in which buyers are looking at potential purchase homes is changing. More and more buyers are bypassing the agent (1 in 5 homes are now sold direct). So let’s talk about a subject that real estate firms are avoiding: SAFETY. Real Estate firms are afraid that if they put a few safety precautions in place, they will offend potential prospects. After all, we know the yard sign with only the real estate firm’s phone number on it is used as a prospecting tool and tells nothing about your home. Never show a house to a direct caller until you are confident that they are who they say they are. We want you safe, and we wish real estate firms would adopt these policies.
- Request the potential buyer’s cell phone number and email address, then call them back and email them to verify.
- If it’s a general email address such as Gmail or Yahoo, not a company address, ask them to scan their driver’s license and email/text it to you.
Be up front about your procedures and don’t apologize or act as if it’s only “pro forma.” If a buyer is legitimate, they’ll understand that you don’t know them, and they’ll be happy to work with you to make you feel safe.
