Tackling the Safety Gap in Real Estate Showings

May 11, 2026 - 21:29

Real estate agents have long faced a unique safety challenge: they often meet strangers alone in vacant homes. While ride-sharing apps and dating platforms have built-in safety features like location sharing and emergency buttons, the real estate industry has lagged behind. Tether RE co-founder Sarah Kim believes proptech can finally close that gap.

In a recent interview, Kim explained that the core problem is visibility. "When an agent walks into a showing, no one else knows they are there," she said. "If something goes wrong, there is no automatic alert." Tether RE's platform addresses this by integrating with an agent's calendar. Before a showing, the system sends a check-in link to the agent's phone. If the agent does not confirm they are safe within a set time, the system escalates to a pre-designated contact.

Kim stressed that the solution must be frictionless. "Agents are busy. They will not use a clunky app that requires five taps," she said. The tool works in the background, using geofencing to detect when an agent arrives at a listing. It also allows agents to share their live location with a trusted contact for the duration of the appointment.

The timing is critical. According to the National Association of Realtors, nearly half of all agents have experienced a situation where they felt unsafe during a showing. Kim noted that the industry has relied on informal buddy systems, which often fail. "You cannot rely on a text to your spouse that might go unread," she said.

Tether RE is now piloting its software with several large brokerages. Kim hopes that within two years, safety features will become a standard part of every real estate transaction, not an afterthought. "We are not trying to replace human vigilance," she said. "We are just making sure someone is always watching."