We have all had those calls; the request to show a property from someone we don’t know, the call that left us not feeling quite right in our gut about the person on the other end of the phone. And we have all met a complete stranger at a property, alone.

But, please, resist the pressure to meet the client at the property because they don’t have much time and they are sure this is the property for them. Trust your instincts, and if things don’t feel quite right after hanging up the phone, then they probably aren’t. If you choose to meet them at the property, then take someone with you. Enlist your spouse, a friend, a colleague. Just don’t go alone.

I encourage my agents to establish a business protocol for meeting buyers. The first meeting should always be in your office, when you can be sure someone else is around. It offers you the opportunity to screen for seriousness. And never start showing property until the buyer has been through the pre-approval process or can demonstrate their financial ability to purchase property.

When the promise of a potentially quick sale and a nice commission check is offered, it can be hard to resist the temptation to cut corners and take risks. But, nothing, not even a sale, is worth putting yourself into harm’s way.