Yes you can.
I have been taking Tae Kwon Do with my son and have invited our instructor to my office to give a self defense class to the other agents. I know one demonstration won't prepare anyone for a brutal attack, but maybe they will see that one can protect oneself, and get further instruction.
I hope this agent and her family end up with good news.

Gosh this is so horrible. I had an agent who had a "buyer" who showed up with duct tape and restraints. She luckily was suspicious (never got the whole story) and he was arrested before he could do her harm. She looked eerily similar to the agent now missing. Will pray for her safety.

Praying, and hoping for a happy ending although, it's not looking good.

Praying for her safe return.

Kind of ironic she is missing--September is National Realtor Safety Month. I hope she is found.

For the agents that frequent this site--be safe. It can get a little scary out there sometimes.

Wow.....very sad and scary.

Can they look at the call history on her cell phone and figure out who she would have been meeting?

If I were an agent, I think it would make me change my process so I always got info (name/address/phone) from the potential buyer and left that info somewhere that someone could find.

Real estate sales is a very dangerous profession, & our need to keep people happy & make them comfortable makes *us* more vulnerable.

Do people abduct police officers?
Not as a rule!
& it's both because police officers are armed & because police officers are trained to view everybody with suspicion & to take control of the situation.
They don't worry about whether the other person likes them.

This morning I googled to look for an update & was sickened by the number of similar abductions that popped up;
this one is the only one that I found that didn't include the words "found dead".

It seems like there'll be a rash of abductions or assaults on Realtors, & we all get more aware & start calling in or copying drivers' licenses & so forth & carrying mace or an alarm or something & we ask a colleague to go with us when we're showing vacant houses or showing houses to an unaccompanied man.

Then nothing happens for a while & we get a phone call & get all excited & fling ourselves into our car & away we go!

This is very scary. Many years ago (before cell phones) I was sitting an open house by myself. While people were coming and going, there was a guy sitting outside in his car. I did get his license # but fortunately didn't have to do anything because it was a busy open house. This was a suburb of Chicago and I will tell you that there is a definite risk to female Realtors.

sylviatexas, is there any news? Surely, she had her cell phone. Did her hubby call her before he went over to the house she was to show. I'm hoping for the best outcome: she's found alive and well. However, I have a bit of suspicion that we may see this case on 20/20.

I have a morbid habit of thinking up scenarios I might use if I found myself in danger. A female realtor showing up alone might be on her cell phone as she approached the potential buyer. While reaching out to shake hands, she'd still be on the phone, but saying to 'buyer', "Sorry, but my husband is a paranoid police officer and I have to tell him where I am and who I am meeting. You won't mind if I give him your plate number, would you?"

It's sad that the world is full of people whose only wish is to do harm to others. Sad, but true. It never hurts to think of the worst and be prepared.

I just checked a few minutes ago; nothing.

Husband did get 3 text messages from her phone about 1 AM.

the first one said, "okay",
forget what the second one said,
third one said she was having drinks with friends.

Husband says she does not drink.

I am just heartsick.

Here's info from an AK news station (and link):

http://5newsonline.com/2014/09/26/central-arkansas-real-estate-agent-missing-after-showing-house/

...Her husband said he received a text from his wife around 1 a.m. Friday but that it didnâÂÂt sound like her at all.

âÂÂAll of a sudden I received three texts in a row. One said âÂÂYes.âÂÂ⦠Then she sent another text that said, âÂÂMy phoneâÂÂs low. The batteryâÂÂs down, and IâÂÂll call you whenever I get signal.â â¦And, then, straight back-to-back, I received a text that said âÂÂOh, IâÂÂm out drinking with some friends,'â he recited. âÂÂBeverlyâÂÂs not a drinkerâ¦We just want our mom back, and my wife of 35 yearsâ¦I need her.âÂÂ

It sounds grim.

We choose not to have an agent when we are looking for a house. When we see one we are interested in, we call the agent and it is more often a female. I am always sure to tell the agent I will have my husband with me. I do that as a courtesy so 1) she/he won't be surprised, and 2) so she/he can bring another person if that would make her feel safer. I am always amazed at the number of agents who just meet us at empty houses without another person. I wouldn't.

The facial injuries are said to be from a car accident.

which would be a good way to explain facial injuries caused by something else.

edited Monday morning:

Police identified the guy because he took a selfie using Beverly's phone, & her husband saw it on her iCloud.

This post was edited by sylviatexas on Mon, Sep 29, 14 at 8:01

^^^^sylviatexas--there seems to be something missing from your update post.

This link might explain it, but I am curious as to where you read that Lewis used her phone. Perhaps you can edit your post to include a link?

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/aaron-lewis-hunted-after-real-estate-agent-beverly-carter-vanishes-n213796

oops!

can't find it now;
all I found was a chat board on which someone said that the picture wasn't from her icloud, that it was one that the police took following the accident.

so I don't know.

Please keep her in your prayers & send some good thoughts.

I wonder how they connected him with her disappearance? Did they receive a tip from one of his friends/family members?

Also, if he was a suspect, why didn't the cops "sit on him" while he was in the hospital while they were waiting for the warrant?

Last, but not least, one bloodhound will do the work of hundreds of searchers -- why not use that search method?

I hope she is found. They did capture him this morning.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/suspect-captured-arkansas-real-estate-agent-beverly-carters-kidnapping-n214006

Hopeful. All you women stay safe, be cautious and listen to your instincts.

So sad, just read they found her body.

Here is a link that might be useful: Body of Arkansas Real Estate Agent Beverly Carter Found

Found dead...
Buried alive! 25 miles from the showing. Suspect confessed.
Horrible.

Unspeakably sad. Prayers going out for her husband, children and grandchildren.

This is heartbreaking for her family and tragic beyond words. I kept hoping there would be a better ending.

I had intended to go to NC on my own to scout for a rental house and save my husband from making the trip, but not now. I'll wait till he can go.

So very sad. There are some very sick people in this world. Realtor, since often working alone in strange places with strange people, should carry some form of defense.

This is tragic. All Realtors should have a license to carry and use it!

very sad. I don't even get it. Defendant said he targeted her because she was a woman alone and a "rich broker." But the motive doesn't seem to be money.

Neither USA today nor CNN say she was "buried alive." Don't know where that came from.

This post was edited by Violet.West on Tue, Sep 30, 14 at 11:28

That's horrible. My heart goes out to her family and colleagues.

Violet West, that is just what I heard early this morning.

RyseRyse, the best defense any woman - or man, for that matter - has is the brain. I don't think realtors carrying guns are likely to generate those warm feelings that prompt people to buy. (That goes for other sales people, too; I would not want to take a test drive with an armed car salesman.)

I found the broker's comment, "that's our job" to be offensive. It is NOT your job to go into an empty house with an unknown 'buyer'. It is your job to let him (or her) into the house. You can wait outside, keys in hand, by your car. If so-called buyer expresses interest, you can meet him back at your office.

Brokers, especially those with "mostly women" should spend some of those proceeds on safety training.

This post was edited by tomatofreak on Wed, Oct 1, 14 at 0:16

Tomato freak, unfortunately that's not how it works. If that were the case, we could simply give out a lock box code and say have at it, if you're interested, give me a call. People already think an agents commission isn't deserved. We do a whole lot more than unlock the door.

Ps. In most states, you wouldn't know who is carrying. That is the whole premise of "concealed carry". I'm not aware of any state that has open carry only. I think you would be surprised at how many realtors have cc permits.

Very sad. The story said:

"Lewis was arrested on Monday and is facing a murder charge in the 49-year-old's death. When confronted by a reporter over why he did it, he replied: 'Because she was just a woman that worked alone, a rich broker.'

She was just a woman who worked alone... If that isn't a message to consider then I don't know what is.

A link that might be useful:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2775141/EXCLUSIVE-Terrified-young-mother-reveals-called-police-stalked-killer-realtor-Beverly-Carter-just-months-ago-saying-really-creepy-I-felt-like-watching-time.html

How awful for her family.

I manage rental properties.

This does make you think and is something I think about while waiting at a house or setting up appointments.

I do keep my keys in hand including the panic button on the fob. I have had people ask to meet at late times. Being safe comes first. If they are actually interested they will meet at a better time. In an occupied home, handing out the keys or code, you might as well help them load their car with valuables

I found the broker's comment, "that's our job" to be offensive. It is NOT your job to go into an empty house with an unknown 'buyer'. It is your job to let him (or her) into the house. You can wait outside, keys in hand, by your car. If so-called buyer expresses interest, you can meet him back at your office.

Tomato freak - if I didn't know better, I would say your post was victim blaming. Pretty insensitive.

Although we cannot let people wander around unattended in someone else's house, I too found "that's our job" obnoxious.

It isn't our job to risk our lives.

That broker's comment, suggesting that her agents have to meet people at empty houses, may have opened the door for a lawsuit of some sort.

I have arranged my Tae Kwon Do instructor to give our office a self defense class next Wed. I hope all the agents take advantage of this as it usually only takes a small amount of self defense to deter an attack.

"Tomato freak - if I didn't know better, I would say your post was victim blaming. Pretty insensitive."

pixie_lou, you don't know me or you'd know that nothing in your comment could be further from the truth. I found the **broker's** comment to be insensitive - and bordering on irresponsible. She, of all people, should be cognizant of the dangers posed to women going out alone to meet with strange men. Or couples, or even other women. The world is filled with people willing, able and even eager to do harm.

I don't know how real estate is done outside of this area, but here you'll do well to see a house without at minimum a pre-qual letter in your hand. Realtors here want sales and unless they know you can buy, they don't want to waste time.

This is from the listing for that house: "Proof of funds required on cash transactions ; Lender Pre-Approval letter for financed offers (dated within last 30 days)." Did he have that? Somehow, I'm doubtful.

I think when you're in real estate, your business is to sell houses or commercial or whatever. When you're a wife and mother, your job is to go home safe and sound to those who love you. If that means standing outside an empty house, by all means, do it.

"I've decided that a buyer who won't take the time to meet me in my office or in a public spot first, and let me copy their ID doesn't get my time to see a house. (Not the best example, but just to make the point.)"

It has come to that and I agree.

Most people have a cell phone with a camera. Why not take advantage of this technology to protect yourself?

After meeting the client at your office/public space. As soon as they arrive, immediately take a pic of the person/car/license plate and send it to the office before you go into the house.

Have one or more emergency numbers on speed dial. Keep the phone in your hand as you walk around.

Inform the client that you have to check in every half hour or the police will be called.

That is what I'd be doing if I sold houses for a living.

There was a nice little story on a Realtor group on facebook yesterday or the day before.

The poster said she got an inquiry & responded, & the inquirer wanted to see the house.

& sent a copy of his driver's license with his message.

Of course, she still needs to meet him at the office or in a public place to make sure that it really is his license, but assuming he's who he says he is, it was nice that he thought to send his id before he was asked.

No reasonable person will object to providing proof of identity.

That story is just too sad. I'd never thought how vulnerable an agent could be, but once I heard the story, it's obvious....you are required to meet a stranger at a vacant place. For 99% of clients, it's not a problem, but that 1% sicko....

While taking down someone's ID and license info may be helpful for tracking down one's killer, it won't necessarily make you a priori safer.

Perhaps something like this life alert device would be helpful for many people who are out and about but may need that emergency call button immediately. If it's like a house alarm, there are code words and such that you can use when someone else is there that will cause them to call 911 regardless of what else you say. Being attached to your keys, which are always in an agent's hand, it doesn't require the fumbling that a cell phone might.

Equalizers are fine so long as you know how and are prepared to use them, but if they get it away from you, your protection suddenly becomes your biggest risk. Even police can be disarmed, despite all their training.

And ladies, please don't wear heels. You can't run in them.

Here is a link that might be useful: emergency button