Hi, Everybody, my name is Cheryl Knowlton. It was my honor and privilege to be invited by the National Association of Realtors in September of 2018 to be their Safety presenter for their webinar. This went out to all 1.3 million members of the National Association of Realtors in over 80 countries.
The subject of that webinar was on habits that keep us safe on the job as real estate professionals. It is a subject that is near and dear to my heart. I was originally introduced to that topic by an ABR instructor teaching that segment. I was introduced to stories from agents that I knew and loved all over the country. These were agents who actually met with dangerous situations while on the job.
I found myself alone
A few months after that I took a job as a model home agent. This was during the economic down-turn that we all faced as real estate professionals. I wound up spending a lot of time alone on the corner of dark and scary.
It was at that point that I really started to think about my personal habits. What was I doing as a real estate professional to keep myself safe. What could I be doing differently? What SHOULD I be doing differently?
Shortly there after the National Association of Realtors came out with this amazing course. It is called Real Estate Safety Matters: Safe Business equals Smart Business. I started teaching that course right from the very beginning because I was fascinated by the subject.
Unfortunately, as I have immersed myself more and more in this subject, it has become more near and dear to my heart. I realize more and more the essential need for this topic. This really, really hit home on January 17, 2019. This is when a colleague and friend of mine, David Stokoe of Salt Lake City, Utah was murdered while on the job.
We need to take better care of each other
It is my even bigger honor and privilege now to teach this course all over the country. As I am invited to state and local associations to raise knowledge, awareness and empowerment for real estate professionals. When it comes to their daily habits and their safety on the job this is a must. It is something that is absolutely essential that we as real estate professionals take better care of each other. I congratulate you as state and local associations, or even as a brokerage for taking the initiative to bring this important education to your agents.
I would love nothing more that to come to wherever you are and to present this information to your team. We can help raise awareness in our real estate industry. We joke a lot in real estate about “not in my backyard.” A lot of homeowners say that about different developments or about different proposed things like zoning changes.
I say that about my backyard. Never again in my backyard will another real estate professional lose their life in the line of duty. I hope that you feel the same way about your backyard.