A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a column discussing Realtor Safety. The reason September is designated as Realtor Safety Month is due to the case of Beverly Carter. Tomorrow, the 30th of September, marks the 10th anniversary of the murder of the Arkansas Realtor. Carter’s case is the most documented case by the media, of a Realtor safety incident. I won’t go into all the details today, but if you’re not familiar with her, she was targeted by a couple because they thought she was a “rich broker”. Carter’s case made national news through a feature on NBC’s Dateline.
In 2024, I’ve heard of a couple of other cases. It was just back in August that a Canadian Realtor, Yuk-Ying Anita Mui, was murdered. Although I don’t know the latest, it was believed her killer fled the country.
In a Florida case earlier in the year, a female Realtor was preparing for an Open House when a “supposed” male buyer, approached ahead of time. This gentleman pretended to be interested in the home, but when asked to return once the Open House officially began, he grabbed and pulled her into an embrace. Fortunately, she got away and was able to call the police.
I bring this all up again to simply remind the public that the business of Real Estate is more than just business. As I said the other week, I ask that you understand when a Realtor who doesn’t know you, might want to meet at their office or might ask for a photo ID. It’s not meant to discourage you or to inconvenience you. It’s very normal in many industries that you produce an ID or go to the brick-and-mortar establishment even if the transaction might involve something off site. I also previously told you that Realtors do have resources to help ensure safety, but I won’t put that out in a newspaper column in case a bad actor is reading this.
Obviously, this outlet in the Dominion Post allows me to write about Real Estate as well as economic issues which affect the industry. Talking about safety is a bit of a tangent, but I hope you can appreciate my reasons for covering this.
Having said all of that, I’d like to encourage you to take measures to ensure the safety of yourself, your family and friends. Be cognizant of your surroundings and use different commuting patterns. If you’re not physically capable of defending yourself, try going places with someone else. An attacker will be a lot less likely to confront if there’s a second person, whether or not that person is physically formidable. Consider taking self-defense classes. Firearms may not be for everyone, but there are options. There are tools and resources one can use and there is excellent training available right here in our community. I can’t use this column as a commercial for local businesses, but if you’d like recommendations, look me up online, and I’ll be happy to point you in a good direction. Safety is critical for Realtors, as well as for you and your loved ones!