According to HousingWire, Watson Realty is rolling out a mobile security platform called Bond to more than 1,000 of its agents across Florida and Georgia starting in September. The app is being provided as part of the company's standard toolkit at no extra charge to agents. The timing aligns with Realtor Safety Month, which focuses attention on the risks agents face in their work. Bill Watson III, the company's president, explained that the real estate industry has become much more independent since COVID, with agents working alone more frequently, and he wants his team to feel supported even as they operate independently.
The Bond platform combines a smartphone app with a 24-hour command center staffed by security professionals. The features include live video capability, location tracking and trip monitoring, a virtual companion service where agents can connect with a live security agent on their phone screen, and an emergency siren. The system is designed to catch situations that are uncomfortable or potentially unsafe but don't yet warrant calling 911. Watson emphasized that the live video feature was particularly appealing to him, since it captures both video and audio and creates a record of what's happening, which is valuable when an agent is entering an unfamiliar property alone.
The platform includes a "Track Me On The Go" function that monitors whether an agent reaches their destination within the expected timeframe or stays on route. If something seems off, the system can initiate a check-in. Another feature lets an agent simply rest their finger on the phone screen to indicate they want passive monitoring without active intervention. If they remove their finger, suggesting a threat, a countdown begins, and unless the agent enters a passcode to cancel it, Bond's security team steps in to help.
Bond's founder and CEO, Doron Kempel, described the company's approach as a "pre-911" service that addresses a gap in protection. His team has handled close to 1.5 million security service requests globally and dealt with more than 10,000 emergencies and life-saving situations across 28 countries. He noted that the platform works for various groups, not just real estate professionals, and emphasized that nothing shared with Bond goes to anyone else unless an emergency occurs. The video capability serves both as a deterrent and as documentation if needed.
What I am seeing locally here in the Bay Area is that agent safety concerns are very real and have only grown as our market has evolved. We have agents showing properties across a wide range of neighborhoods and economic situations, many working independently. Technology like this reflects a smart business decision by brokers who recognize that protecting their agents is protecting their business. While we haven't seen widespread adoption of these specific platforms yet in our market, I think more brokers are going to start looking seriously at safety tools as part of their competitive advantages in recruiting and retaining agents.
