Social networking is all the rage these days. Everybody’s got their mug and bio on multiple social websites, from LinkedIn, to Twitter, to Facebook, to YouTube, among others.

One of the larger selling points of becoming part of one or more of these social networks is to foster new bonds with potential clients and customers. However, as these networks evolve, I’m seeing 2 distinctly different business philosophies develop:

1.    Approach all people in a “warm and fuzzy” way as their friend, their buddy, their pal, and keep business talk to an absolute minimum; or

2.    Provide business information that might be useful to potential clients and customers while keeping a professional arm’s length distance.

As for me, at first I was caught in the middle of these 2 points of view and tried both. But, after spending some time posting and reading the posts of others, I’m now firmly planted in the category that deals strictly with issues related to my position as a real estate professional. And, let me tell you why.

As a real estate professional I deal with other people’s money, and, consequently, their lives. To me (and I’m sure to them) this is very serious business. I also believe that business is business, and friendship or socializing is something completely different and that these two relationships should be separated from each other.

Before going any further, let’s take a look at the other philosophy; being the “friend” vs. being the business professional on a social network.

Let’s say you’re a prospective client of a certain type of professional, such as, say a lawyer, a real estate professional, or an accountant. And, you come across someone on one of these social networks who generally refers to themself as being that type of professional:

1.    Do you really care about whether or not they’ve just gone to the mall to buy a new iPod, or are watching their kid play soccer, or are going to visit Aunt Bessie in the nursing home later today?

2.    Does it make any difference to you what restaurant they ate in last night, or what they watched on TV, or if they got wet in the rain while walking their dog?

3.    Does it really make them better qualified to deal with your particular need because they saw some cute holiday decorations on someone’s lawn, or they went to see a certain play, or any of the thousands of inane things we all do in our private lives every day?

Do you really care about any of this personal stuff that has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with their ability (or, lack thereof) to perform the service that you want or need?

Frankly, not only do I not NEED to know any of this extraneous blabber, I don’t WANT to know any of it because I DON’T CARE!

What I DO care about, is information related to the subject the professional is involved in, whether it’s law, real estate, accounting, medicine, websites, or anything else that I may have a need for such expertise.

Yes. I think it’s informative for a professional to add a personal touch, such as a real estate professional posting something like, “I’m going to a seminar about the current state of the foreclosure market and will tell you all about it.” Or, an attorney posting something like this, “I’ve just read an opinion of eminent domain where the judge in the case denied the property owner’s request to have the jury visit his property. As I see this, the implications are . . .” And, so on.

And, while I don’t want to read posts that are nothing more than advertisements, I also don’t want to hear about personal things, like their mother-in-law’s goiter.

I want information about the subject in which the person is an expert, and I want them to explain to me why and how they think the information they post is important to me.

For example, I post numerous articles that reference the government’s involvement in the economy, since virtually everything the government does has a direct impact on the economy. Consequently, those governmental activities also have a direct influence on employment, business activity, and, therefore, they influence both the use and value of real estate; that is MY area of professional expertise.

I also post information on sales volume of various types of real estate uses, pricing trends, impact on real estate investments, and myriad other subjects from the perspective of how they effect the use and value of real estate.

But, the big question is this: Would you rather hear about how I stubbed my toe when walking barefoot in my bathroom?

Do you really want to do business with THAT kind of person you have contact with on a social website?

Most real estate professionals, whether they are agents, appraisers, inspectors, or the like, typically spend the majority of their work hours alone and in the company of strangers. They’re either inspecting vacant buildings, meeting with property owners at a property that they are generally unfamiliar with, as well as going into remote locations, or (foolishly) meeting a buyer or tenant prospect they’ve never met and know very little, or nothing about.

Then, there are the agents who hold a public Open House, where any member of the general public, including calculating criminals, have free and open access to the property. All of these circumstances present a very real life-threatening danger.

And, this danger isn’t necessarily limited to strangers.

In Woodbridge, New Jersey, a residential real estate agent was asked by her long-time client to meet at his house; a house she was in the process of selling. When the agent arrived, the property owner beat her to death, then set the house on fire, and in the process, also burned himself to death. It seems he wasn’t pleased with the sale price.

Then, there was the recent case of an older man in Glendale, Arizona who had his home listed with an agent. One day, the homeowner was approached by a couple who rang the door bell and said they saw the sign and were very eager to see the inside of the house. Although his agent warned the homeowner to never allow anyone in without being accompanied by an agent with a prior appointment, the homeowner, just as eager to sell, let the couple in. Once inside, the couple beat, tied up and robbed the homeowner; he was lucky; he lived.

In fact, I had an incident where I was inspecting a vacant industrial building in New Jersey when I was cornered by a pack of dogs. It was a very frightening situation. However, I managed to slip into a dispatcher’s room that was essentially a 10 foot square room with fixed glass windows on all 4 sides. I remained there for nearly 3 hours before I felt safe enough to take the chance on leaving. Keep in mind, this incident occurred prior to the common availability of cell phones.

These are just a few examples of thousands of dangerous situations that have resulted in robbery, assault, rape, and murder.

So, what should real estate professionals do to protect themselves?

1.    Don’t create or contribute to the creation of a dangerous situation.

What does that mean?

DON’T meet unknown buyer or tenant prospects at a property before meeting and interviewing them in your office, or (at worst) in a public place, such as a restaurant, coffee shop, or some other populated public place.

DON’T go anywhere without telling at least one other person exactly where you are going, who you are meeting, and when you expect to return.

DON’T enter a vacant property on the spur-of-the-moment without first calling someone to tell them exactly where you are, who you’re with, what you are going to do, and when you will call them back to confirm you are okay.

2.    Create back-up safety systems and signals in case you find yourself in a bad situation.

ALWAYS call your office or assistant when you first drive up to a property or a place where you are meeting someone to tell them you’ve arrived; even if you know the person you are meeting.

ALWAYS use your cell phone to photograph the prospect’s vehicle and license plate and IMMEDIATELY text or email it to your office or assistant. NOTE: If you’re meeting someone you’ve never met before, take a photo of them and immediately send it to your office or assistant as well.

ALWAYS tell your office or assistant the latest time you will leave the property and call them back to verify your safety status.

ALWAYS require your office or assistant to call you back no longer than 15 minutes after you first call in, to check on your safety.

ALWAYS use a code system to alert others that you are in danger. This is one example:

Create a verbal color code system to use during a phone call, where:

i:    if you say “red” you are saying you in danger and they should immediately call the police, or

ii:    if you say “yellow” you are telling your assistant you’re unsure and call back in 5 minutes, or

iii:    if you say “green” you’re outside of the building and are okay.

When you get the call from your office or assistant, the conversation should go something like this: “I left the (red) file to (the address you are at) on my desk, can you check it for me?” Which means, I’M IN DANGER – CALL THE POLICE RIGHT NOW!

ALWAYS call your office or assistant when you are safely secured in your vehicle and have already left the property.

ALWAYS have your office or assistant live by the rule, that if you do not call in to notify them you have left the property by the time you stated, that your office or assistant is to call your cell and verify your safety using the color code system.

ALWAYS have your office or assistant call the police if you do not answer your cell when the call to verify your safety.

3.    Carry personal protection to defend yourself in the event of an unexpected dangerous situation.

This is the topic which is the most difficult to provide advice, since the advice is driven more by where you live, than by anything else.

For example, by far, the best defense against any potential threat is to carry a personal firearm, be well trained in its use, and be a committed observer of everyone and everything around you.

Sound paranoid? Maybe. But, it will very likely keep you alive by giving you the opportunity to eliminate that danger should it present itself in spite of your best efforts to avoid it.

Many states, including the State of Arizona, actually recognize, adhere to and enforce the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution. Arizona and many other states also make it simple for a non-criminal citizen or legal resident alien to obtain a permit to carry a concealed weapon; the best of all possible methods of defense.

However, if you live in New Jersey, or any other state that prevents you from carrying a firearm, you are very limited in your choices, since most other defensive tools are far less likely to overcome a criminal who probably will have a firearm since they have no regard for the law.

Further, many states and cities (primarily in the northeastern US) even make it unlawful to carry a tazer (a/k/a stun-gun), mace, or many other personal defense tools. To real estate professionals working in those areas, I can only say, check your local laws regarding what you can and cannot use in your personal defense. And, “good luck.”

AS FOR THE RESIDENTIAL HOMEOWNER, you must recognize, that you are the most vulnerable of all criminal targets, regardless of where you live. And, you are the most vulnerable in situations of conducting an Open House, or showing your house, if you are alone, or have young children in the home, because all of these circumstances are very “soft” targets for criminals.

So, what is a homeowner’s best defense?

A competent and conscientious real estate agent.

Sound self-serving?

Well, consider this: If experienced real estate agents take such extensive precautions against the real dangers they face, don’t you think it’s reasonable that you are exposing yourself, your home and your family to a far greater likelihood of becoming victims of a serious crime?

Think about it.

I’d like to hear your comments.