Open house safety isn't optional, and it isn't paranoia. You're alone in a stranger's house with people you've never met. The rules I teach are simple: tell someone where you are and when you'll be done, let visitors walk ahead of you, stay between them and the exit, keep your phone in your pocket, and if something feels wrong, it is. Step outside and call. Don't wait it out to be polite.
The short answer
Plan before, stay aware during, and check out after. Never show a home to someone you haven't spoken with. Never let politeness override your instincts.
Step by step
Before 1. Tell a teammate the address, the time window and when you expect to be done. Agree on a check-in time. 2. Ask the seller to secure valuables, medications, mail and keys. Nothing personal out where it can be photographed or pocketed. 3. Walk the house when you arrive. Know every exit. Unlock the back door from inside. 4. Charge your phone. Turn on location sharing with a teammate if your team uses it. 5. Park on the street facing out. Leave the driveway open and your car easy to leave. 6. For private showings, speak with the buyer first. Verify who they are per your brokerage policy. Never meet a stranger at a vacant property alone.
During 1. Sign-in for everyone. Name, phone, email. A digital sign-in is faster and more complete. 2. Let visitors walk ahead of you into every room, including down the stairs. You stay between them and the exit. 3. Don't go into basements, attics or closets ahead of anyone. 4. Phone in your pocket, not on the counter. 5. Stand near the kitchen, where you can see the entry and an exit. 6. If someone makes you uneasy, step outside, call the office or a teammate, and say where you are. Don't wait it out.
After 1. Walk every room before you lock up. Check that no one stayed behind, and that windows and doors are locked. 2. Check out with your teammate at the time you agreed. 3. Note anything unusual in your CRM and tell your managing broker.
A code phrase helps
Agree on a code phrase with your team that sounds normal but means "call me back and come get me," something like "Can you grab the red file from my desk?" If you say it on the phone, your teammate knows to call back right away and send help if needed.
A worked example (illustration only)
An agent holds a Saturday open house. Before it starts, she texts a teammate: "Open at 123 Main, 12 to 3, check in at 3:15." She unlocks the back door, puts her phone in her pocket and stands near the kitchen. At 2:30, a visitor without a sign-in starts asking when the owners are usually away. She steps onto the front porch, calls her teammate, and uses the code phrase. The visitor leaves. She notes it and tells her broker.
Illustration only.
How to explain it to your client
To the seller, before the open house:
"Before Saturday, please put away jewelry, medications, mail, keys and anything personal. I'll have everyone sign in, I'll walk the house before I lock up, and I'll send you a recap that night."
Watch-outs
- Questions about the owners' schedule are a red flag. Never share when sellers are away.
- Don't wear expensive jewelry or bring a purse inside. Keep valuables locked in your car.
- Vacant homes carry extra risk. Bring a teammate or co-host.
- Fair housing still applies. Treat every visitor the same way: same sign-in, same rules, same welcome. Safety rules are about behavior, never about who someone is.
- Your brokerage may have its own safety policy. Follow it.
This is training for real estate agents. Follow local laws, your brokerage's safety policy and fair housing laws.
Questions
What if a visitor refuses to sign in?
Politely ask again. If they refuse and something feels off, trust that.
Should I carry a self-defense tool?
Follow your local laws and your brokerage policy. Most safety comes from planning and awareness.
What if I feel unsafe mid-showing with a buyer?
End it. "I'm going to step out and take a call." Then leave.
Do I need a safety app?
Many teams use location sharing or a check-in app. A simple text check-in works too.
What about evening showings?
Extra caution. Bring a teammate if the buyer is new to you.
Brian Lee Burke is the founder of PadLeaders, a Colorado real estate broker licensed since 2003, team leader of The Kenna Group at Keller Williams DTC (formerly Kenna Real Estate Group) and the author of Mastering Real Estate and The Real Estate Playbook. More about Brian.