Real Estate Open House

[Robert]

First - I am a huge fan of the best defense. Mike and Mike and Mike are a great team. Great work and best of luck with the series.
It is probably the best show on TV. I wish it was in HD (high definition) I also have been among the many that force my girlfriend to watch and we appreciate the efforts to make the show appeal to both sexes.

In the season 5 real estate agent episode - open house - the real estate agent should have had another real estate agent, friend, or relative with them at the open house as a matter of good company policy. With two or more agents working at the open house, there less chance that the woman is going to have to hire Marty Hayes.
In addition, the idea of showing by appointment is a good idea especially in a remote area.
 Normally the agent will meet with the prospective buyers at their office and get a copy of their photo ID as a first step. Prequalification allows a real estate agent to make sure that the prospective buyer can afford the unit for sale/rent as to not waste time (and to make sure that customer is not an axe murderer or that if they are an axe murderer they will likely get caught)
 If the agent is showing the unit alone, the agent must have already prequalified the buyer and checked in with someone at their company regarding the location, client, date, and time of the showing. While this will not remove all chances of attack, the above is at least a basic procedure to help reduce the chances of unwanted attack.
Also, the agent should have a basic understanding of the house and how to escape before they show it to the public.

I think that the woman in the episode could have easily pepper spayed Janich in that senario but the firearm was also effective.

Can you guys get Marty Hayes in some senarios? Can you get him in shape too?

Looking forward to many more seasons!

[tombogan03884]

Guy I used to know made an appointment to show another guy a wood lot.
When he got there 2 guys kicked his azz, they didn't rob him, it wasn't business, it was personal.
But they took his keys and threw them in the swamp.
When I got to know him better I didn't blame them a bit.

[TAB]

open houses don't sell houses.   never have one.   ask any honest ( I know very hard to find) realtor thats been in the biz for a long time.

[Michael Janich]

Dear Robert:

Thank you very much for your post and the kind words. We truly appreciate your support.

“The Best Defense” has been broadcast in HD for several years now (I believe we upgraded to HD in season 2?). If you’re not seeing it in HD, you need to upgrade your TV package on your end.

We pride ourselves on providing information that is relevant to all viewers, including our female audience. The feedback we have received clearly shows that we’ve been successful in that effort and are much more than a gun show.
We also make a concerted effort to base our scenarios on actual events and track crime trends very closely. Although you make some very good points about better, safer work policies for real estate agents showing homes, if you do a Google search on “real estate agent rape” you’ll find numerous incidents across the country where female real estate agents who showed homes alone and were assaulted.

We wholeheartedly agree that having a better company policy—one that requires at least two agents at a showing—is a great idea. However, rather than making a show on “real estate agent safety,” our goal is to use this reality-based example as a vehicle to inspire ANYONE who deals with the public to be better prepared.

I agree that pepper spray might have been a viable alternative to the gun, but the same caveats that we mentioned a few episodes ago (in the drunken home intruder episode) apply. If you anticipate using pepper spray inside a structure, choose your spray appropriately so you don’t hose yourself when you use it. In this episode, a fog-style spray followed by a dash for the door would have ensured that our heroine got a face full of her own spray. A gel, foam, or stream and an exit through the rear of the house (away from the spray) would have been viable.

As for your comment concerning Marty, I’ve known Marty for many years. His service to the firearms and self-defense community as an instructor and through the Armed Citizen’s Legal Defense Network is incredibly valuable and helps reinforce our position as responsible, self-reliant citizens. If you want to criticize his level of fitness, I suggest you contact him directly.

Thanks again for your support and interest.

Stay safe,

Mike