Texas REALTORS and CHL

[skeetshooter]

Hi to All,

I'm a Realtor in the North Texas area and wanted to know if any Realtors carry while showing property? Your experiences? Do and Don'ts?

[Keith B]

IINAL, but unless there is something obscure in the Texas Realtor's licensing code I am unaware of, then you would be bound only by the regular restrictions of a CHL.

[Charles L. Cotton]

I wish you hadn't asked this question. My wife is a Realtor and she has her gun with her all the time her purse is on her shoulder.

Chas.

[A-R]

I am a Realtor, and while I generally don't discuss the how and when of specific CHL situations in public (as far as the bad guys know, I carry everywhere every day), I do carry around clients. But I keep my gun CONCEALED and don't discuss guns at all - so my clients have no idea I'm doing so, nor do they need to know, nor am I under any obligation (legal, ethical, or otherwise) to inform them or anyone short of a LEO that I am carrying. It's never been an issue.

For those who "don't get it" regarding CHL in the Realtor community (I've had a few question why I feel the need to carry a gun when I brought up the subject in a conversation with other Realtors) I simply point to the number of Realtors who are attacked while on the job (face it, we're an easy target - we meet strangers at strange locations every day) and tell them they can use their mace and pray, I will BE PREPARED to defend myself. But I'm also not stupid or careless about meeting strangers. I often error on the side of extreme caution and bring a buddy along if meeting new clients for the first time at a property.

Realtors, like so many other professions, have very legitimate on-the-job self-defense needs. Thankfully we don't often answer to a large company that dictates that we not to arm ourselves while on the job like many corporations now do. If a broker ever told me not to carry while showing houses, I'd find a new broker to hold my license by that afternoon.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

skeetshooter:

Do you remember the female realtor that was killed while
on site in the Frisco/McKinney/Allen area? I don't remember
just which town. The cops did some good detective work and
eventually caught the murderer.

If you have your CHL, the operative word is "Concealed."
Carry for your own safety. Don't say a word about your gun
to anyone at work. Just be armed and vigilant.

I used to work for a guy who had a saying about when you know
a secret about someone: "Just be silent, and KNOW."

In this case, "Just be silent and KNOW... that you are carrying."

If you think your current carry gun is too big, switch to a smaller gun.
The first rule of a gunfight is.... to bring a gun.
A small gun you can conceal in your dressy realtor clothing
beats a hand cannon that's in your vehicle.

Stay safe and armed out there. Over and out.

[Purplehood]

I always wondered about women (and men) feeling free to meet complete strangers in an empty house, from a security standpoint. I wouldn't blame Realtors one bit for carrying.

[joe817]

Well put s_i_a. Well put.

And those words should extend to all CHL'S out there, from any endeavour in life, for any reason. CC is not a badge of honor or title to bragging rights. It should remain silent, aloof and always at the ready.

[just one person's opinion, from the outside looking in....someday I'll get there. just a matter of time]

[A-R]

If you think your current carry gun is too big, switch to a smaller gun.
The first rule of a gunfight is.... to bring a gun.
A small gun you can conceal in your dressy realtor clothing
beats a hand cannon that's in your vehicle.

[bdickens]

If anyone needs a CHL, it is a Realtor.

[skeetshooter]

WOW! I never expected such great responses from everyone. Thank you so much. Sorry about the delay in responding. It has been a crazy week.

It's interesting, when I think about all the times I have met complete strangers in vacant homes. Anything can happen. I have even met clients at night opening foreclosed properties discovering there was no electricity and looking around with a flash light. I KNOW you don't have to say it, I was an idiot. There was one instance were I was showing a known client a vacant property in East Plano and two guys walked in 10 minutes after I had opened the home. They said they were investors, wanting to check the home out, doesn't matter they were in the house before I could say anything. Again, no problems, but it made me think how easy it could have been for my client and I to become victims.
I'm pretty savvy about things that don't look right and trust my instincts always. I was a volunteer in the Broward County Sheriffs Posse Unit in Florida from 1994-1997. It taught me alot about people and their actions and body language. However, I don't want to bring a knife to a gun fight either.

The Realtor that was murdered was in Craig Ranch, Mckinney. I didn't know her, but I was at that office a couple of days prior to pick up materials to show an out of state client.

I will be carrying a Colt Defender 45. If I find this to be to heavy for the summer, then I'll carry my Taurus Millenium PT111, 9MM.

Again thanks for all the responses and keep them coming. I would like to know what your clients have said if they found out you are carrying? Do you loose them as clients? Never hear from them again? Agree with you? Ask you to leave it the car? Etc.

[A-R]

I will be carrying a Colt Defender 45. If I find this to be to heavy for the summer, then I'll carry my Taurus Millenium PT111, 9MM.

Again thanks for all the responses and keep them coming. I would like to know what your clients have said if they found out you are carrying? Do you loose them as clients? Never hear from them again? Agree with you? Ask you to leave it the car? Etc.

Hey skeet, let me know how carrying that .45 works for you. I've downgraded to either a Ruger LCP or S&W .38 for most "on the job" CHL because I just can't find a comfortable way to carry anything larger while looking "professional" in my dress. I'm contemplating a Walther PPS and tuckable IWB holster under my standard Polo-style golf shirts, but for now just carry the LCP or .38 in a pocket holster in my khakis. Other than a business suit or sports coat (too hot in summer, and actually a bit "much" dress wise for my clientele) I can't find a decent cover garment that works right for a proper Realtor "look" (business casual?)

As for clients knowing about me carrying, again has never happened and don't plan to let it (one reason why I try to keep my anonymity on public boards like this). There are enough antis out there who buy/sell houses - especially in Austin area - that I'd be losing a huge group of potential clients by discussing guns or CHL openly.

If I do find someone in a professional setting who seems receptive to guns/CHL I will strike up a conversation (has happened with a few Realtors in training classes etc., but not yet with clients). Once even volunteered the information to a training room full of new Realtors who were discussing safety/security while on the job. A new, young, female Realtor asked "I feel vulnerable meeting new clients, what can I do?" and without thinking I blurted out "concealed handgun license" ... got a few dirty glares my way, a few shocked expressions, and later a few "at a boys" from gun-friendly Realtors. The instructor glossed over my "suggestion" and said something about being smart and not putting yourself into dangerous situations (good advice, but not exactly foolproof).

[skeetshooter]

I will be carrying a Colt Defender 45. If I find this to be to heavy for the summer, then I'll carry my Taurus Millenium PT111, 9MM.

Again thanks for all the responses and keep them coming. I would like to know what your clients have said if they found out you are carrying? Do you loose them as clients? Never hear from them again? Agree with you? Ask you to leave it the car? Etc.

Hey skeet, let me know how carrying that .45 works for you. I've downgraded to either a Ruger LCP or S&W .38 for most "on the job" CHL because I just can't find a comfortable way to carry anything larger while looking "professional" in my dress. I'm contemplating a Walther PPS and tuckable IWB holster under my standard Polo-style golf shirts, but for now just carry the LCP or .38 in a pocket holster in my khakis. Other than a business suit or sports coat (too hot in summer, and actually a bit "much" dress wise for my clientele) I can't find a decent cover garment that works right for a proper Realtor "look" (business casual?)

As for clients knowing about me carrying, again has never happened and don't plan to let it (one reason why I try to keep my anonymity on public boards like this). There are enough antis out there who buy/sell houses - especially in Austin area - that I'd be losing a huge group of potential clients by discussing guns or CHL openly.

If I do find someone in a professional setting who seems receptive to guns/CHL I will strike up a conversation (has happened with a few Realtors in training classes etc., but not yet with clients). Once even volunteered the information to a training room full of new Realtors who were discussing safety/security while on the job. A new, young, female Realtor asked "I feel vulnerable meeting new clients, what can I do?" and without thinking I blurted out "concealed handgun license" ... got a few dirty glares my way, a few shocked expressions, and later a few "at a boys" from gun-friendly Realtors. The instructor glossed over my "suggestion" and said something about being smart and not putting yourself into dangerous situations (good advice, but not exactly foolproof).

I agree with you AustinRealtor. I like wearing a sport coat or shirt and tie in the winter months but not when it's 98 degrees. There isn't enough water to cool me down. I ordered a TT Gunleather Mikes special IWB for my .45. it should hug close enough not to print. I won't receive it until the end of July and I ordered it March 31st. I really hope it works. In the mean time I'll use the Taurus Millenium PT111. I tried an Uncle Mikes OWB holster with a Tommy Bahama or the Miami Cuban shirts that are long enough but it prints, REAL BAD. I'm sure it's going to be were where I swap holsters for awhile, at least until I get my TT Gunleather. I have heard great comments about them and jumped in. I'll keep you posted.

[Shorts]

I'm not a Realtor but we just bought a house and spent 2mths looking at houses. We carried.

I'm thinking if there was something aimed at Realtors for no carry then it would apply to the potential buyers as well (outside the scope of the Realtor license).

Anyway, I agree, Realtors should carry. When I was a Sales Rep at a GM dealership you bet I carried everyday. There was certainly concern about running into a problem on test drives.

[txbirddog]

skeetshooter:

Do you remember the female realtor that was killed while
on site in the Frisco/McKinney/Allen area? I don't remember
just which town. The cops did some good detective work and
eventually caught the murderer.

It was McKinney.

[gringogigante]

I am a real estate appraiser in the Dallas Fort Worth area. I am also a CHL Instructor.

I tell my students to carry everywhere or nowhere unless it is some sort of special circumstance.

But, I do have situations when I'm appraising that I don't carry. For me it's more of a risk assessment thing. If i'm in a high risk area, I carry all the time no questions asked. If I'm driving around Highland Park (a part of Dallas that is in the upper range of the socio-economic spectrum) appraising a house, logic would dictate that I'm in a pretty low risk area....speaking purely about precentages of risk.

I have a safe bolted to the floor of my truck that i lock it in should the need arise.

It will be very tricky to explain to a jury (in this hypothetical situation I"m about to create) why i had to should this bad guy that was attacking me inside his own house. I'm a 6'6" former football player, they could say. Why would you need a gun and why did you bring it into this man's house an shoot him with it?

bad news, but in the worst part of town....worth the risk.

It's a tricky world we live in, isn't it?