"Every day agents have one-on-one contact with
virtual strangers and are easy targets for criminals.
Selling real estate can be a dangerous profession in that
you are meeting people you don't know who could easily give you false
information," says John King, president of the Real Estate Safety
Association of America. "The opportunity is there for trouble. What
Realtors have to do is take that opportunity away from the criminals."
And while no local real estate agent may have been the
victim of a high-profile crime lately, King says agents hear of such
crimes happening in other communities and it should raise concern.
King says the biggest unknown risk to agents lies in cold calls, where
someone sees an ad in the newspaper or a sign in a yard and calls the
agent to come show the house immediately.
"You've got to be careful. And if you lose a sale, so be it. It's not
the end of the world. No sale is worth your life!"
John
King, author of
"Are You AWARE? Acting with Awareness in Real Estate:
How to Use the 7 Directions to Stay Safe on the Job" works with Real Estate Professionals to enhance their success by improving
self-confidence, increasing morale and ensuring security. He empowers
individuals to feel more empowered - both professionally and personally.
John’s career spans 20 years as a Self-Defense Expert, specializing in
Personal Protection and Event Security. He has the privilege to ensure the
well-being of high profile clients - including successful heavy metal bands,
noted entertainers and actors, professional wrestlers and even the late
San Diego Padres baseball star Ken Camantti. His focus on Personal Safety
evolved from a decade of late nights touring the world as a drummer,
including a USO tour in the Middle East and Africa. When not on the road,
John was Facilities Manager at The Renfrew Center, the first residential
eating disorder treatment facility for women. Here he developed a greater
understanding of the complex issues surrounding women's health and
personal safety.
John is nationally recognized as a Martial Arts Master in the gentle,
graceful, effective, defensive art of Aikido. He draws on a lifetime
participation in the eastern arts to bring an inspirational, educational
and unforgettable presentation to his audiences. And now, after nearly a
decade of study, he is currently a Nidan, or second degree black belt in
the Japanese martial art of Aikido Kokikai.
John’s private martial arts studio, Sound of the Sun, was the first in Los
Angeles to specialize in personal safety for women. Here many achieved
their goals with his passionate and dynamic style of teaching. His
distinctive approach integrates ancient eastern techniques with modern
practical concepts and first-hand experience. John is known to his
students as the “Uncommon Sensei.”
