The recent murder of a well-loved Albuquerque Realtor has reminded the industry nationwide of the vulnerability of practitioners who so often work alone, interact frequently with strangers and visit vacant properties with clients on little more than a handshake.

While details are sketchy, it is believed by authorities that 74-year-old Garland Taylor was slain during a showing of a $900,000 listing by a "well-groomed and professionally dressed man who is believed to have called Taylor from a pay phone and arranged to see the luxury property."

Neighbors saw the Realtor entering the property with a younger man, a white or Hispanic male in his early to mid-30s. They became alarmed when they noticed the Realtor's van remained in the driveway all day.

The suspect carried a briefcase or attache case with a shoulder strap and was driving a mid-90s light blue or white 4-door Ford with Arizona license plates. He is described as about 5' 10 to 5'11, about 170 to 180 pounds, and well groomed. The suspect had presented himself as a corporate attorney from Arizona, looking to relocate.

The Albuquerque Metropolitan Board of REALTORS® is asking area practitioners to look in their listed homes to see if there is a business card for Garland Taylor for the last two weeks. If so, he may have shown the suspect homes previously. If a card is found, the agent should contact Linda Forsythe at 505/724-3462. For more information, including a composite drawing of the suspect, visit the Albuquerque Metropolitan Board of REALTORS® Web site at www.ambr.org.

The board also recommends that practitioners not meet strangers at their listings, but direct them to meet at the agent's office before proceeding to showings, and to not show listings alone.

The grim reminder comes only weeks ahead of the National Association of Realtors annual Realtor Safety Week, scheduled September 12-18, 2004.

One of last year's Realtor Safety Week participants, safety expert Robert Siciliano recommends the following:

1. Be suspicious of everyone. There isn't any benefit in being paranoid; however, being a little guarded can keep you from getting into a vulnerable situation.

2. ID and prequalify at your first meeting. Whether you are at your office or meeting at a property get some form of identification. Someone who is prequalified by a lender and meets you at the office is less likely to be a predator. Open a file with all their identification, information such as license plate, and employer contact information.

3. Stay in communication with the office. Before showing a property make it known to your co-workers, a spouse or a friend where you are going and when you will be back. Have them call you at a designated time to check on you. Have them set an alarm on their pager/cell-phone as a reminder. A system where you call in has its advantages too. Have a designated in-out file. Use a clip board, cork board, email or voicemail system that everyone has access to. Consider a Nextel system with direct communication.

4. Have a plan for safe open houses. Take a friend, and bring a cell phone. Spend a few minutes considering all the vulnerable points within the home and how you would escape if necessary. When a couple comes, require them to stay together.

5. Use predetermined code words to alert your office of distress. Utilize green, yellow, and red, a traffic light, for levels of distress. For example say to your caller "it's in the green folder" letting your caller know you are fine. Or "it's in the yellow folder" alerting your caller that the situation is shaky and you might need assistance. Use an acronym for help such as Have Emily Leave the Papers (HELP) at 35 Cherry St.

6. Conduct safe personal marketing. To a stalker, your photo on a sign or in print is a personal ad. He determines if you have the 'look' he is seeking. Keep photos professional. Use PO Boxes and voicemail systems. Keep your personal phone number unlisted.

7. Implement a buddy system. Whenever possible bring along a co-worker. There is strength in numbers. Predators thrive on isolation. By paring up you reduce the chances of being attacked.

8. Dress for safety and success. Don't wear expensive jewelry. A $3,000 to $5,000 diamond buys a lot of drugs. Dress professionally, not provocatively. Scarves and loose-fitting 'flowy' styles of dress can give attackers something to grab onto. Wear shoes you can run and kick in and won't hinder fighting back.

9. Don't allow the client to ride in your car if you don't know who they are.

10. Pay attention to your intuition. Trust your gut, and don't discount any troubling feelings you might have about your new client. If anything seems wrong, then it IS wrong. Cancel if necessary. When the hair on the back of your neck stands on end, your sixth sense is signaling you, pay attention. This feeling is a survival mechanism, use it.

11. Know how to defend yourself. You are worth fighting for. We don't think about hurting others because we have been conditioned not to. However there might be a time when it is necessary to defend yourself. Go for the eyes, throat, groin and the instep of the foot. Fighting from the ground is an advantage that few people realize they have. Kicking the knees and groin is very effective from the ground. Scream, gouge, bite, and fight with whatever you have. Have a pepper-spray in your hand or a coat pocket. Have a ball point pen ready to jab. In previous studies 80 percent of women who fought back in an attack situation got away. You have more power than you think.

Published: August 19, 2004

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