That’s why we are sponsoring a self-defense seminar with Dr. Nick Chamberlain in Lakewood on Saturday from 12 high noon to 2 p.m. The location is 2114 Kidwell Street at Chamberlain’s studios. We want every Real Estate agent in Dallas to learn how to play it safe!
One of the most frightening blogs I have posted was the story of Ebby agent Linda Zevallos dating Robert Durst, he the New York Real Estate scion who may finally be charged with at least three murders. You may recall that Durst lived in Dallas for at least a year at The Centrum in Oak Lawn. Other agents showed him properties.
Durst was “the oldest son and heir apparent to a real estate magnate father, and grew up in privilege outside New York City, according to the New York Times. He was passed over for the presidency of the Durst Organization in 1994 in favor of his younger brother Douglas, but he remained a wealthy real estate mogul.”
Douglas Durst, estranged for years from Robert, described his brother to the New York Times as brilliant, disturbed and dangerous. He said his brother had come to his house with guns and wanted to kill him. He also said Robert was removed from the line of succession after urinating in a wastebasket.
Durst was arrested in New Orleans last March 2015 and extradited to Los Angeles, where he is supposed to stand trial this summer for the murder of his friend Susan Berman.
The HBO documentary The Jinx, first put Durst in a bright spotlight.
The series re-examined the execution-style killing of Berman. In the final scene, in an interview with Durst, he mumbles, “What did I do? Killed them all, of course.”
This was the man who sent Linda Zevallos $500 worth of orchids after a first date. This is why Dallas Realtors need Dr. Nick Chamberlain.
Dr. Chamberlain is a Dallas chiropractor who also teaches self-defense as part of his community outreach program. He has taught protective measures to thousands of kids over the last 40 years, with a recent focus on women’s self defense programming. I caught up with him to ask why Realtors are such a good target for, well, criminals. He sure had the answers:
a. Realtors are frequently women, which automatically puts them in a vulnerable category
b. They are typically working alone.
c. They work in a location or building they may be unfamiliar with.
d. They are usually with a person they don’t know or are familiar with.
“I’m not going to teach them to be cage fighters, but teach them the skills they need to escape from an attack or simple assault to minimize risks,” said Chamberlain.
What are some of the basic things an agent can do to protect themselves?
Instead of meeting a client directly at the listing house, meet them at the sales office, says Chamberlain If the house is in West Dallas and your office is in Lakewood, it is tempting to save time and meet at the house. Don’t.
Obtain a copy of their drivers license. Video them as they sign in. You can do this subtly by having them “sign in” to the office while a camera runs.
Make sure other staff know who you are going with and where you are going before you set out on the appointment.
Come to the session Saturday in Lakewood (Lakewood Dojo, 2114 Kidwell 12 noon to 2pm) to learn defensive techniques.
Here is what you will learn: how to be aware of your surroundings and threats, and then how to defend yourself. You will learn which targets to strike on the attacker like eyes, nose, throat, groin (Christian Louboutins may come in very handy!) knees, plus weapons you have at your disposal like a pen to eyeball, a kick, to knees, mace or pepper spray. You will practice with pads and shields, pairing off with partners as you learn basic escapes and techniques to get them away from an attacker and out of danger.
This sounds absolutely wonderful, and every agent in town should sign up. It’s even FREE! Wear loose-fitting clothes, as if you were going to a fitness class. Chamberlain says you are welcome to bring a hubby, brother or S.O.
“This is not a lecture. It’s a hands-on workshop to learn skills,” says Dr. Chamberlain. “A good self-defense course provides psychological awareness and verbal skills, not just physical training.”
daltxrealestate.com is proud to be a sponsor, because we want to keep our fabulous North Texas agents safe and secure. Questions: [email protected]
