In Wake of Sarah Walkers Murder, New Proceedures for Open Houses Considered
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The murder of Sarah Anne Walker this past week is causing many real estate agents and brokers to reconsider how they show homes to prospective buyers. The use of open houses makes the agents as one refers to them, “sitting ducks”. For an agent to be alone in an open house has to be a frightening experience if you start to think about it.
I was talking to my partner about this and he had a great idea. Remember the I have fallen and can not get up buttons for the elderly? They should be owned by every real estate agent in the country so that if they are attacked they can press the button and alert the police. Add GPS to the device and this could provide 2 benefits. First, the agent could notify authorities quickly if they were being threatened or assaulted. Second, would be assailants would know the possibility of being caught would be much higher and be a deterrent to attacks.
Between 1982 and 2000, more than 200 U.S. real estate agents were killed on the job, according to a safety report published by the Kentucky Real Estate Commission. Untold other agents were raped or mugged.
On Saturday, prospective buyers who stopped to tour a McKinney model home found Sarah Anne Walker’s body. She had been stabbed more than two dozen times. Police are sifting through clues to find her assailant.Sarah Anne Walker In 2002, at least four sales agents were robbed at gunpoint while showing homes in North Dallas.
And not all attacks get publicity.
In an industry that depends on one-on-one contact, sales agents know that they must be wary of the wrong kind of person.
“If only we knew what an attacker looks like – that’s the problem,” said Sherryl Wesson, an office manager for Dallas-based Ebby Halliday Realtors. “You have to be on guard all the time.”
To keep sales agents safe, Ms. Wesson said her firm asks prospects who want to see a home to meet at the agent’s office and provide identification. And agents are discouraged from working alone at an open house.
“We always like for them to have someone accompany them at an open house,” she said. “You can’t be a sitting duck.” via WFAA.com
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Comment by debi marion on 2 May 2007:
When will the trial begin for the alleged murder of Sarah Walker?
Comment by Joseph P. Durso on 31 August 2007:
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We are to trusting because one of our qualities is to be open and trusting. We know that the world has changed so much but we still trust. Maybe this trust must be temperered and re-looked at. Getting a copy of the buyers drivers license may be totally fine and give the buyer a bit more respect of us and our type of job not to mention how a woodbe felon would react. Thanks again.
joedurso@msn.com
Cell direct 734-231-7800
Pingback by Agent Murdered in Dallas Model Home — The Real Estate Bloggers on 3 January 2008:
[...] More on the murder of Sarah Anne Walker. [...]
Comment by Dominique on 19 August 2008:
I actually had a different idea concerning how to make open houses safer. I decided to design a website that allows agents to conduct Open Houses entirely over the Internet. The site is called http://www.openhousebroadcast.com and by using a laptop, webcam, and wireless broadband connection; a real estate agent can invite anyone, living anywhere in the world, to attend their next Open House. Not only that, but since the Open House Broadcast is done entirely over the internet via streaming video, there are never any unscreened prospects in the house with the agent; thus eliminating the “sitting duck” aspect of the Open House… Feel free to head on over to openhousebroadcast.com to check it out, and if you have any questions, you can email me at dominique@domusinnovations.com.
Thanks, and stay safe!!
~Dominique~
Comment by George Terry on 2 September 2008:
The GPS device you were thinking about in July 2006 now exists, it’s called the Loner GPS, and is designed to be used by people working alone.
The device has a no-motion sensor, which triggers an alarm if senses no movement for a fixed time period. First it gives an audible warning, if this is not acknowledged an alert signal is sent out to a website in the realtors office, a Text message to their teams cell phones or via Email.
Alternatively, if the person is feeling threatened, they can press the ‘Panic’ button, which instantly send out the alert.
The device is fitted with a high spec GPS locator, which will give the persons position in real time (as well as leave a 15 minute breadcrumb trail).
If this is of interest, please feel free to call me on 604-889-2429, or email me at george@pureworld.ca
Be safe out there!
Best wishes
George Terry
Pureworld Solutions