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REALTOR®: Practice safety in your office

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Safety for Realtors is a year-round priority. To raise awareness about recognizing risks and practicing safety tips year-round – on the job, on the road and at home, September 9-15, 2007 has been officially designated by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) as the fifth annual REALTOR® Safety Week. The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) would like to build members' awareness of potential on-the-job dangers and proper procedures that can save lives. These safety tips can empower local Realtors to work with confidence and are applicable to the general public, as well.

Sources of the following information include NAR, Sonoma County Crime Crushers and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

General Security Measures
• Know staff in other nearby businesses and be aware of their schedules.
• Ensure all doors other than the main entrance are secured.
• Make certain windows are not obscured so that passers-by can see in.
• Make sure there is a clear exit route from the service desk to the door.
• Have the person whom they want to see come to the front office area and escort the individual to the meeting area.
• Have a visitor log book and policy on issuing visitor tags that limit access to certain areas and hours of the day.
• If you encounter an individual while working late or alone, indicate to that person that you are not alone. Say something like, "My supervisor will be right with you and should be able to assist you."
• Keep personal information private. Avoid discussing where you live, after work or vacation plans in front of customers, new coworkers or anyone in general with whom you are not comfortable.
• Install a spare phone in the storage room.
• Install an alarm, (preferably both audible and monitored). Have alarm buttons in strategic spots, i.e. panic buttons at the reception area.
• Install surveillance cameras that will monitor the front entrance, the reception area, and other areas that are accessible to the public.

Personal Valuables and Equipment
• Never leave valuables, purses or wallets tucked behind counters or on desks.
• Lock away personal letterhead and business cards to avoid use by unauthorized people.
• Lock up audio/visual equipment when not in use.
• Secure spare and master keys in locked cabinets.

Protect Client Information
Most offices keep sensitive personal information on their computers and/or in paper files - Social Security numbers, credit card or other account data - that identify customers or employees. If this sensitive data falls into the wrong hands, it can lead to fraud or identity theft. A sound data security plan is built on five key principles:

1. Take stock. Know what personal information you have in your files and on your computers.

2. Scale down. If you don't have a legitimate business need for sensitive identifying information, don't keep it. If you have a legitimate business need for the information, keep it only as long as it's necessary.

3. Lock it. Protect the information that you keep. The most effective data security plans include physical security, electronic security, employee training, and the security practices of contractors and service providers.

4. Pitch it. State and federal laws govern how personal information should be disposed of. Specifically, the FTC has a Disposal Rule that requires businesses to adopt appropriate disposal practices that are reasonable and appropriate to prevent the unauthorized access to – or use of – information in a consumer report. Check your state laws regarding destruction of personal information to make sure you're in compliance.

5. Plan ahead. Have a plan in place to respond if there is a security breach.

Access to Your Office
• Restrict office keys to those who need them. Maintain a record of keys, including issue and return dates, name and signature of recipient and an outline of the consequences should an important key be missing.
• Mark office keys with "Do Not Duplicate."
• Establish a rule that keys are not to be hidden or left unguarded on desks or cabinets and enforce that rule.
• Have a procedure in place for collecting keys and identification from terminating employees.
• Treat doors with coded locking systems as you would a key. Codes are released to appropriate individuals only, and should be changed as those individuals leave your employment.


The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) is a professional trade organization representing over 4,000 REALTORS® and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay. SILVAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in Silicon Valley.

The term "REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and who subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.

Variations of this article have appeared in local area newspapers.

For further information, please contact Rose Meily at SILVAR Public Affairs, email , or phone (408) 200-0109.

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