How to Develop a Hurricane-Resilience Protocol

A real estate professional’s job doesn’t stop when the weather changes.

Agreeing to represent a buyer or seller is a commitment to carry the deal across the finish line—even when storms roll in. In Florida, that’s not hypothetical. It’s why the most reliable brokerages are built to operate through disruption, not around it.

Here’s how your firm can develop a protocol to support clients in every stage of a storm.

1. Invest in Document Protection.

Paper documents are vulnerable to moisture and fire. Invest in durable safes to maintain the integrity of critical files. While fire-proof and water-resistant, these cabinets are still susceptible to flood damage because they cannot withstand full submersion. So, keep them off the floor.

Consider using bank safe deposit boxes to securely store valuable records, such as property deeds, title insurance policies, purchase agreements and closing disclosures.

For other client files, use portable, waterproof binders. They are small and light enough for anyone to take quickly if your team must evacuate the building.

2. Digitize All Workflows.

Real estate brokerages with modern digital infrastructure can operate nonstop, even when the weather destroys physical office hardware.

Adopt cloud technology to enable 24/7 remote access to company resources, prevent data loss and accelerate recovery from natural disasters.

Remember: Using a third party for storage comes with cybersecurity and data privacy risks, so choose your vendor carefully. Go digital where you can. Use tools and platforms that you can integrate to move data across systems more seamlessly. Create data backups regularly, and automate this process to avoid forgetting.

3. Reinforce Your Physical Location.

Any weather damage to your workspace can cause downtime and only serve as a distraction to your core operations. Leasing a code-compliant office is only the first step.

Work with your building’s property manager to make your windows more impact-resistant. Stock up on heavy plastic sheeting, industrial garbage bags, rope and duct tape to waterproof your electronics in case of a roof leak.

4. Prioritize Proactive Risk Communication.

Advising property sellers on vital improvements for weather protection and disaster resilience is excellent policy. Clients may be reluctant to spend out of fear of diminishing their profit margins, but key repairs are instrumental in preserving property value during a hurricane.

Have a communication plan in place with your agents, and encourage them to have one with their sellers.

Remind clients of what to do during natural disasters and how to safeguard their properties to mitigate damage. Share a list of local contractors, such as roofers and plumbers, so your clients have essential contacts in case of emergency. Recommending service providers does not violate RESPA as long as your brokerage gains nothing of value from referrals.

Protecting paper documents, going digital, performing structural office reinforcements and communicating risks proactively are essential business practices during natural disasters in Florida. Hurricanes may interfere with the flow of real estate transactions, but being there for your clients is a silver lining.

Peter Chambers is an associate editor for Renovated.