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San Diego Real Estate · 05-15-2006, 07:43 AM

Friday, May 12, 2006 - By Mary Umberger, Chicago Tribune
CHICAGO, (KRT) - On the rare occasions when real estate agent Lanora Walker agrees to hold open houses for her clients, she gets there early and hides the knives.

"I put all the sharp objects, all the knives, underneath the bed," said the Lansing agent. "I put away fingernail files and nail clippers."

Walker is adamant about not becoming a crime victim on the job. She prefers not to host open houses because she doesn't like the idea of being in a vacant home with a sign in front that invites strangers to come in off the street.

When she goes to an appointment with a potential client, Walker checks for the person's name in a sex-offender registry. She diligently informs her office of her whereabouts every minute of her workday.

Paranoia? Probably not.

In the realm of "dangerous jobs," being a real estate agent hardly carries the risk factor that, say, driving a taxi does. But beneath the smiles and salesmanship, some agents feel unease.

In 2003 and 2004, 42 realty and apartment-leasing agents and managers died from violent attacks on the job, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The rate of crime doesn't appear to be going up, but the issue got a jolt of attention in the industry after two agents in Florida were attacked in separate incidents within the space of two weeks in March.

"It is a dangerous occupation. You never know who you're going to meet," said Janice Flasschoen, one of the Florida agents, who was showing a home in South Daytona Beach when her client came at her with a hammer.

In April, the Georgia Association of Realtors put out an alert about a man claiming to be a former Seattle Mariners baseball player. He abducted and robbed an agent April 4 and apparently has approached other agents, identifying himself in the same way.

REMAX LV · 05-15-2006, 03:36 PM

Wow! it is scary how exposed real estate agents are to just an open pool of people. It is extra dangerous because even well trained agents with good judgement and safety skills get blind sighted sometimes by the opportunity of a sale. An agent should never let down their guard or not follow their safety standards no matter how alluring the sale may be. I have heard similar stories recently of criminals posing as clients and going from state to state harming agents. BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!!!

Las Vegas Real Estate · 05-25-2006, 02:50 PM

I never really took the time to consider these types of things, even being a female. I mean, working in the Las Vegas real estate market, I would never show property alone at night, etc, but I never thought about open houses and the possible negative outcomes. Thanks for the posting, the more aware we are as real estate professionals, the better we can protect ourselves

Nickie · 05-25-2006, 04:38 PM

Absolutely Thanks for the post.

Within a few months of becoming an agent, something happened to me at an Open House. As a result, I always tell the new agents to never do an Open House alone. And to always keep the cell phone on their wrist or in their pocket.

On the day of that incident, my phone was in my purse, which of course was in the cupboard, so I had no way to call for help.

As a Stager, I always tell the sellers to put away all the knives and anything else that could become an easy weapon.

I helped a Realtor/Client with an Open House this week, and I was very surprised to see her without a phone on her during the Open House. I warned her about the risks and she agreed, she should at least keep a phone with her and, good for her, she went and clipped it to her waist.

I think it would be great to see more offices that make it a policy that there be at least two people at every open house and that whenever an agent is with a client that there is someone who knows where they are going and who they are with and what time they are expected back. Oftentimes, just being a bit more conscious of our situation can help prevent bad things happening.