The Dangerous Side of Being a Real Estate Agent in SoCal

When we think about real estate we think about selling houses or buying properties, but no one ever talks about the dark side of real estate. "Local Records Office" says, Real estate is not all dollars and smiles especially in Long Beach, CA.

This is my story and why working, as a real estate agent is a dangerous field . . . It was a typical day in the world of real estate. I was sitting at my desk when a potential buyer walked into my office. He was from out of town and looking to purchase a home in a prestigious neighborhood. He was dressed well, had a nice car, and spoke well. Basically, he presented a good first impression.

"The buyer prospect went through all the motions of being a bona fide buyer" says, Local Records Office. He completed the paperwork for the loan and did everything a serious buyer would do.

I ran a property search for him and we selected four houses to view. I was aware that all of the properties we scheduled for viewing happened to be vacant. That was the first alarm that went off in my head. Vacant homes are the perfect locations for criminals.

When a "client" selects all vacant homes for their private tour, that is a red flag for the agents to take certain precautions for safety.

• I made two photocopies of his driver’s license and left one with a colleague.
• I gave a list of the properties I was showing to a colleague in the office.
• I gave the colleague an estimated time that I should be expected to be back at the office.
• I asked the prospective buyer to follow me to each property in his own vehicle.
• It Gets Dangerous

The Local Records Office says, "We drove to each property in separate vehicles". One side of my brain noted that this could be a bona fide buyer. Selling a house to this buyer in this exclusive neighborhood meant a size-able paycheck for me. The other side of my brain noted that this could be a counterfeit buyer up to no good. It turned out that this buyer was up to no good. As we toured each property, I noticed he kept trying to lure me into corners. But, I’m wiser than that. I stayed away from interior doors and walls. I allowed him to walk into the room first while I remained outside and near a door for a quick exit.

I took the necessary precautions to protect myself. Well, it was a good thing, because by the time I got back to the office one of my colleagues discovered that the man was wanted for murder in the town he lived. Apparently, he was accused of murdering his wife and the police were looking for him.

Was he planning on murdering me, too? I don’t know. But, I fear that if he had the opportunity, he might have. He did keep mentioning that his wife had died and that I looked like his wife. I’ve never been so scared in my entire life.