HAR Urges You to Put Safety First

HAR urges members to make personal safety a top priority after numerous reports of suspicious activity related to property listings.
The most recent case involves jewelry thefts during open houses at high-end properties in Memorial and West University Place. The suspect is named Steven Breed and has been the subject of criminal investigations across Texas. HAR recently posted a safety alert including Breed’s mug shots on the Member’s Only Portal and in HAR Connect, so please review that information as soon as possible. (See his mug shots below.)
“Foot Fetish Creep” continues to periodically call REALTORS® whose listings are published in the Houston Chronicle real estate section.
HAR receives ongoing complaints about a man who calls, typically giving the name Andy or Eddie, and asking to be shown vacant properties above a certain dollar figure. He only calls female agents, and fortunately, the REALTORS® either sense that something is wrong and hang up or he hasn’t shown up when they have actually scheduled a showing.
We have also received calls from members who have been contacted by prospective buyers who might ask to look at properties above a certain price point but don’t meet any of the other typical behaviors. In these cases, we hope those are just legitimate people looking to buy a property. It is wise to be cautious but not so much so that it prevents you from doing business.