Realtors spend a lot of time in unknown locations alone. Plus, they can lured to such areas by those who pretend to be prospective buyers. When they arrive alone to a vacant house, expecting to meet someone who’s interested in purchasing it, the prospective buyer(s) know that they have the perfect opportunity. Meeting large numbers of strangers is potentially the most dangerous aspect of a realtor’s job.

Before leaving to show a house, meet the prospective buyers at your office, and introduce them to colleagues, if possible. Then leave their personal information and the address of the home you are showing them in a location that would be clearly visible to others in your office. Drive to the home in your own car; do not offer to carpool with the prospective buyers or meet them for the first time at the house.

Even if the prospective buyers look relatively normal, you never know what could happen when you get in the house. Once inside, casually mention that another realtor should be arriving shortly, even if it’s untrue. This way they will know that another person will be there soon, and you won’t be alone long.

Always have your cell phone turned on and nearby. You may also want to work out a code word with your office so that you can call if you need assistance. Avoid wearing provocative clothing or expensive jewelry when showing a home. All realtors should carry pepper spray, a personal alarm, or a stun gun to thwart these attacks. An important self defense device for real estate agents is a pepper spray pen. This disguised pen can be kept in your pocket or purse or attached to a clipboard. It will not arouse suspicion, but can be pulled out immediately if your “prospective buyer” tries to attack you.

Before showing the house for the first time, take your own tour to understand the neighborhood and the home’s layout, paying special attention to the exits. Once in the home with a prospective buyer, position yourself so that your back is never turned, guiding them through the home in front of you. Always ask that a couple previewing a home together remain in the same room. During an open house event, always know how many people are inside at a given time.

You should keep your personal safety in mind not only when meeting clients, but also when advertising your services. Focus on your professional qualifications, not your personal information. Too many realtors advertise their home phone number or address and publish an attractive photo of themselves; these can make them vulnerable to attacks.

Too many realtors remain oblivious to the dangers associated with their chosen line of work. Being a realtor involves putting yourself in some potentially dangerous situations, and it’s important to be prepared both in your actions and by carrying a self defense device. Remember that your safety is always more important than the commission on a big real estate deal.

If the primary objective is to use the taser for self defense then it is not abusive to sue? People only want to feel safe. And knowing self defense, and options for a way out if you are attacked is a natural emotion. People know that society does not expect the citizens to stand helpless without any defense. How traumatizing this can be.

If an attacker sees that you have a Taser, they are more than likely to not pursue you in a criminal situation. Naturally the easiest thing to do would just give up your purse or wallet, however what if that’s not what the attack was all about? Many attackers will think twice about attacking you if you have a taser and seem to know self defense. Literally. There are many ways to handle the taser. Some trainers have advocated the use of flipping the instrument to your other hand.

There are many ways of using the taser. If your attacker has you bent over, and the attacker is behind you, you can learn how to go between your legs through self defense techniques and movements and use the taser on the attacker that way. There are many variations that can be used with the taser. But the possibilities get very limited if you don’t know about self defense or how to even use a taser.

You also have to have the taser to learn how to actually use it the right way as well. However, tasers are usually any where from thirty to fifty dollars, and they run on nine volt batteries. Most tasers even have a safety feature on them. We recommend that you research the effectiveness of the taser.

Today, it’s more important than ever to be able to defend yourself if it becomes necessary. But what exactly does “self-defense” mean? Is it about being bigger and tougher than a potential attacker? Does it mean carrying a gun in your purse?

Not all of us are capable of fighting back physically, and sometimes fighting can make your situation more dangerous. Plus the laws concerning self-defense can be tricky – lethal self-defense is not always the solution from a legal point of view, no matter how frightened you may be in a situation.

Your Best Defense

The key to self-defense is preparation. You don’t have to be paranoid, and you don’t have to carry a gun. The best way to defend yourself is to be aware of your surroundings and to know what to do if you feel threatened or unsafe. Here are some things you can do to avoid being a victim:

• Be aware of your surroundings. Always pay attention and observe what’s going on around you. Criminals often choose victims who appear to be preoccupied or distracted.

• Avoid isolated places. Whether you’re finding a parking spot at the mall or going out for an evening stroll, make a point to be around other people. You’re significantly less likely to be attacked if you are in a well-lit, high-traffic area.

• Trust your instincts. Don’t worry about seeming paranoid. If a person or situation doesn’t seem right to you, get away immediately and tell someone.

You’re far less likely to become a victim of a violent crime if you’re alert and aware. Unfortunately, there’s no 100% guarantee. For a little extra peace of mind, you may want to consider some additional non-lethal self-defense options:

• Pepper spray: A small but powerful deterrent. It causes temporary blindness, difficulty breathing, and an intense burning sensation. Spraying an attacker with pepper spray gives you extra time to get away and get help.

• Stun guns: Stun guns are available in a variety of sizes and deliver a powerful jolt of electricity that temporarily disables an attacker for several minutes.

• Personal alarms: A personal alarm or panic sensor can be worn around the neck and pressed if you’re in a dangerous situation. The noise can startle and scare away an attacker – and it draws attention to you.

By staying alert and using non-lethal self-defense products, you are minimizing your risk of becoming a victim. You don’t have to live in fear. A little preparation can help you feel empowered in an unpredictable world.

Many of these folks are looking for weapons that are non-lethal. They don’t want to have guns in the house because of the danger of accidental shootings – especially when there are children around – and because most people don’t want to necessarily kill an intruder.

One powerful alternative to guns and other lethal weapons is Pepper Gel. People are familiar with pepper spray, which is an effective self-defense weapon. Now self-defense has moved forward further. Instead of a liquid-based pepper spray, MACE, the company who developed the first pepper spray, has now developed Mace Pepper Gel.

What makes Pepper Gel different or better? Since the pepper is suspended in the gel, there are several advantages. It sprays a longer distance than regular pepper spray. The pepper is stronger than regular pepper spray. In addition, the pepper gel sticks like glue, making it difficult, if not impossible, for an intruder or attacker to get it off easily. It is also less contaminating and it is non-flammable. It comes in two sizes and they can fit in a purse or pocket so it can be used easily in an emergency.

Mace Pepper Gel is packaged in containers that have safety features so that they are not accidentally sprayed. If used on a perpetrator, it will cause their eyes to close and burn, and it will burn the skin. It will also cause the individual to cough and choke. All of this will incapacitate and disorient the attacker long enough for you to get away and get help.

The Oklahoman newspaper ran an article on March 31, 2008, about a woman who was loading groceries into her SUV in a semi-crowded parking lot, when she was attacked by a man who dragged her to his car and got her halfway in before another store patron was able to pull her to safety. The woman lost her purse (the attacker left with it), but the other shopper saved this woman’s life.

The victim says she will never go anywhere any more without pepper spray or mace.

A police officer who teaches self-defense in the town where the victim lives seconds that motion and says that in her “common-sense self-defense” classes, she often advises participants to use self-protection products, such as Mace brand sprays.

Mace brand has been on the market for a number of years – even before the self-protection, frenzy has become so common. Mace sprays are effective, affordable and dependable. Mace sprays are also concealed in easy to use containers so that you are armed and ready to protect and defend yourself.

Mace sprays come in pepper spray, pepper gel and pepper foam. These all have the same basic effect, however, the foam; for instance, will seep into your attacker’s skin like a good moisturizer, and it will burn and itch the skin so the attacker does not have time to think about coming after you. The spray, gel or foam will incapacitate an attacker who is trying to catch his or her breath and stop the burning on their skin and eyes. This will give you long enough to get help, call the police and/or simply get in your car and drive away.

Do not become a statistic.

The Oklahoman newspaper ran an article on March 31, 2008, about a woman who was loading groceries into her SUV in a semi-crowded parking lot, when she was attacked by a man who dragged her to his car and got her halfway in before another store patron was able to pull her to safety. The woman lost her purse (the attacker left with it), but the other shopper saved this woman’s life.

The victim says she will never go anywhere any more without pepper spray or mace. Period. A police officer who teaches self-defense in the town where the victim lives seconds that motion and says that in her “common-sense self-defense” classes, she often advises participants to use self-protection products, such as Mace brand sprays.

Mace brand has been on the market for a number of years – even before the self-protection, frenzy has become so common. Mace sprays are effective, affordable and dependable. Mace sprays are also concealed in easy to use containers so that you are armed and ready to protect and defend yourself.

Mace sprays come in pepper spray, pepper gel and pepper foam. These all have the same basic effect, however, the foam; for instance, will seep into your attacker’s skin like a good moisturizer, and it will burn and itch the skin so the attacker does not have time to think about coming after you.

The spray, gel or foam will incapacitate an attacker who is trying to catch his or her breath and stop the burning on their skin and eyes. This will give you long enough to get help, call the police and/or simply get in your car and drive away.

Do not become a statistic.

There is a good way to get out of situations like this – by staying protected. There are many new products on the market that will protect you in dangerous situations. One product that is extremely effective is the Mace Pepper Guard Pocket Model.

It is small, easy to carry and easy to conceal in your pocket or purse. This is a tool to keep handy when walking any place where there could be a risk to your safety.

The Mace Pepper Guard Pocket Model features a flip top safety can and has a key chain conveniently attached to it. It has an 11-gram spray unit which will spray between 6 – 11 feet in one burst. It contains 5 one-second bursts. One burst alone will create enough of a problem for a would-be attacker that he or she will be disoriented long enough for you to escape and get to your car or get help.

Another excellent feature of the Mace Pepper Guard Pocket Model is that it is small enough to fit comfortably in a woman’s hand while being powerful enough to subdue an attacker.

Don’t become a statistic. Protect yourself.

 I have friends and colleagues who have gone their entire lives and never once been in a fight. They have never been close to a fight. They tell their kids you can always walk away. This is wonderful. I wish I could say the same. However, they don’t realize there are people out there that serious crime does happen to. People do get robbed, mugged and beat up, and knowing some self-defense can help.

 If someone tried to take your purse what would you do? Would you be a victim? Would you let him or her take your purse? If someone tried to take your child what would you do? If someone tried to take your car what would you do?

 Remember, at the beginning, I said I was 4’10 in 7th grade? Fast forward. I am now 5′, 110lb and 30 years old. My friends and I went to a concert in the park with our kids. After the concert, a drunken man pulled out a knife. Before anyone else could react, I screamed and disarmed the man and had him on the ground. Then, other men jumped him; and, my friends, the children and I calmly walked away. The children saw nothing. They now laugh and say that I looked like a blur. Think how badly that could have gone wrong.

 A few hours out a month to take a self defense or martial arts class can make all the difference in the world. I can’t tell you how often I have used it. You may never be a victim of a crime, but it does make you feel safer to know it.

A lot of people think that if they have pepper spray on them then they’re not vulnerable to anything. This is a dangerous assumption to make. What’s wrong with pepper spray is that the vast majority of people don’t actually carry their pepper spray around with them. They have to have it in their hand. In fact, what most people do is they carry it around in their purse or their car. I’ve seen many people who leave their pepper spray in their car. What good is your pepper spray in your car, if 10 feet away you’re being mugged and beaten to death? Truth is, it’s not very effective. So, pepper spray alone isn’t enough to keep you safe, unless you walk around carrying the pepper spray in your hand the entire time that you’re out.

Even if you keep it in your hand, what if the attacker comes from behind and grabs that hand? So, while pepper spray is great, you need other skills to defend yourself. You need to learn some self defense techniques in case someone grabs you. Then, you can break their hold on you, reach in your bag or pocket, pull out the pepper spray, and then use it. Another problem with pepper spray is that it actually requires training. Most people don’t believe this, but if you check out one of the websites selling pepper spray, you’ll see that they sell training kits, which are basically a pepper spray canister loaded with water for you to practice with, and guidelines on you how to use it properly. If you’re relying on pepper spray to protect you, but you haven’t trained yourself how to use it, then you’re taking a big risk.

I’m not saying that pepper spray is a waste of time, just that it’s not the only single encompassing answer to self defense. It’s just another tool available for you. And you should have a wide range of tools in your arsenal. Therefore, I highly recommend you to also learn at least a few basic self defense techniques in order to stay safe. By combining self defense training and powerful self defense weapons, like pepper spray, you will be at least twice as safe as you would be by relying on just pepper spray. Its not difficult to learn some self techniques, and you dont have to commit to a weekly class if you havent got time to attend that often. Once a month is sufficient to teach you what you need to know.

Once the spray is used it will immediately result in dilating of the capillaries in the eyes, resulting in temporary blindness, chocking, coughing, and tearing of the eyes.  The spray will also cause an extremely intense burning on the skin and result in nausea.  The mucous membranes will also begin to swell, making breathing very difficult.  The spray is very painful, often resulting in the individual who was sprayed to double over and fall to the ground.  It causes temporary incapacitation, due to the fact that the individual won’t be able to breathe or see properly.

Although the spray is very effective with most, it may not have as much of an effect on individuals who are on drugs, drunk, or already hysterical.  With these types of people, you may need to give them a couple of quick sprays to the face to get the right effect.  The overall effect on the length of the spray will all depend on the strength of the pepper spray.  Most pepper spray effects will last anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour.

Often times the spray is used with controlling riots or in self defense situations.  Pepper spray is very handy to have in violent assault situations, as a violent assault occurs every few seconds in the United States alone.  Pepper spray is safer to use than guns or knives.  It is also non lethal, although there have been rare cases where pepper spray has lead to death.  In these cases however, there were medical conditions present that the spray aggravated – leading to death.

Pepper spray is great to have around your home, or to carry with you at all times.  If a burglar breaks into your home while you are there, you obviously want something to protect yourself with.  A can of pepper spray is very effective, and can easily stop someone from attacking you.  All it takes is a direct spray to the eyes.

Although it is very effective to have with you, pepper spray is illegal to have in some countries, such as the United Kingdom.  In the United States however, there are some areas that require you to have a license before you can legally carry pepper spray.  Before you buy some pepper spray, you should always make sure that you can legally carry it in the area you live in.