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Different day for realtors
By Kalea Hall
YOUNGSTOWN
Back when Karen Ament began her realty career, life was a little different.
The Internet wasn’t around in 1990, the economy seemed better, and the drug activity back then seemed less active to her.
She’s never really been afraid of the “what ifs” when it comes to showing strangers houses as an agent of nearly 25 years for Burgan Real Estate LTD.
“I feel when your time is up, your time is up,” she said. “I think we need to be a little more cautious of who we go to meet.”
The caution comes from knowing that while most people are “good,” there are some with bad intentions.
Real-estate agent Vivian Martin, 67, was a victim of those with bad intentions when Robert Brooks and Grant Cooper arranged to meet her in 2010 at a home on the 3100 block of Nelson Avenue where police say they robbed and strangled her and then set the house on fire to cover up the crime.
“We were all shocked,” Ament said. “Vivian was such a wonderful person. We didn’t think that could happen in this area.”
Since then, Ament has continued to be cautious, as she always has. Some of the agents have adopted new ideas to protect themselves. They include a phone application that alerts people if an agent is in trouble; others may have opted to get a concealed-carry gun permit.
“We answer the phone, [and] we go meet people in houses who we don’t know,” Ament said. “You try to be more aware.”
Ament tells someone where she is going, and tells that person to call her in 20 minutes or so to make sure she is OK. Before she would never answer the phone when showing a house, but now she does.
“Things are different now,” she said.
At Burgan, agents are allowed to make their own choices about open houses. Ament used to get a lot of her business through open houses. Today, people see the houses online.
“There are agents who are petrified to do them,” she said. “I, truly, have never been afraid. Buyers need to realize that this is a different day and age. They need to realize that, yes, you are a good person, but we don’t know that.”
If she does have an open house, she knows not to go into the basement with someone and to be alert at all times.
“Things have evolved,” she said. “It is just not good business to do open houses.”
John Burgan, of Burgan Real Estate, said the real- estate agency always has been taking precautions.
“You have to be alert anywhere,” he said.
Michael Klacik, broker and co-owner of Klacik Real Estate, said the same. This time of year is difficult for agents with the time change and the daylight hours running out faster.
“We try to show everything in the daytime,” Klacik said. “If any one of our agents feels uncomfortable, we either go with them or we immediately call them.”