Last night, on the 2600 block of Grayson Street in San Antonio, a local off-duty Bexar County Sheriff’s Deputy was shot as he entered a home with his REALTOR® wife. Details are still not fully clear, but it appears the couple were viewing the home, when the homeowner heard someone in the house and grabbed their gun. The Sheriff’s Deputy was shot, but is said to be in stable condition. Certainly not the home showing everyone had hoped for.
REALTOR® Safety
As agents, we should remember to be cautious when entering any home, whether occupied or vacant. A good rule of thumb is to a) always use CSS (Centralized Showing Service) to sschedule showings, b) knock or ring the bell (even if the property is listed as vacant), c) announce yourself as you enter, and d) be on the lookout for an signs of occupancy (running water in showers is often a good one to listen for). We all have stories about entering a home where someone didn’t expect us and these steps will never guarantee your safety, but they will help.
Seller Safety
Make sure you give your agent current contact info, so that the showing service we use to set up appointments knows how best to get a hold of you. There are several different types of notifications that your agent can require from CSS: go and show (no contact needed), courtesy (a call will be placed to you, but if no one answers, CSS will just leave a message), and appointment required (CSS must speak with the owner before granting approval). Even with these protections in place, the system does fail from time to time. Stay alert, but also be aware that it is possible that someone might enter your home unannounced. If this happens, explain to the agent that you weren’t notified properly (depending on how your showings were set up by your agent) and ask them to call CSS to confirm the showing with you (so you’re not letting a stranger into your home). You should also call your REALTOR® to make sure the info CSS has on file is up to date and correct.
We’re happy, as it sounds like this could have ended much worse, although it is sad to see someone did get shot. We hope we won’t be hearing any more news like this as the selling season picks up and the chances for these sorts of situations increases and we wish the best for the Sheriff’s Deputy in his recovery.
image courtesy of Drummer Photo Experience
special thanks to KSAT News for reporting on this story
