The Perils of Being a Realtor

While many of us sat and watched the Super Bowl, Lindsay Buziak, a 24-year-old BC real estate agent, was found dead in a vacant Gordon Head home. She had been lured to a home under the pretense of a potential sale, and she was murdered. The home at 1702 De Sousa Pl. is described as an outstanding executive home in a brand new upscale small four lot subdivision.

Real estate can be a hazardous profession, especially for women. According to information provided by the National Association of Realtors’ Realtor Safety Council, more than 200 U.S. real estate agents have been killed on the job from 1982-2000 as they showed homes to strangers. Buziak was among the youngest of the 1,300 real estate agents working in the region. According to the Victoria Real Estate Board; fewer than 20 real estate agents are under 25 years old.

An increase in violence against real estate professionals in recent years has prompted the NAR to create and distribute safety educational materials to all Realtors and to draw attention to the topic with an annual Realtor Safety Week which is supported and promoted by local real estate associations, managers and brokers.

In other crimes against agents, Florida’s Richard Pate was convicted on kidnapping and robbery charges against Linda Tadesco, and was implicated in robberies of Realtors in Georgia as well. According to the police report, the robbery occurred when a real estate agent Linda Tedesco received a call to show a listed property and met with Pate at the home two hours later. Once upstairs, he told her that it was a robbery, and tied her hands behind her back with flex ties, taking her valuables, purse, credit cards, and demanding her PIN number. He then told her an accomplice would be watching her from outside and that she wouldn’t be hurt as long as she cooperated. He put her in the closet and secured her to the water heater with another flex tie.

Although the agent lost jewelry valued at approximately $15,350, she was fortunately able to free herself and run to a neighbor’s home. Less fortunate was Texas real estate agent Sarah Anne Walker, she was found in a model home fatally stabbed 27 times.

While female agents are a common target for criminals, male agents do not entirely escape their reach. In my very own city of Bellevue Washington, seasoned agent Michael Emert was murdered January 5th, 2001 in a Woodinville home listed for sale. The case has never been solved.

So today, instead of offering our readers facts, figures, and opinions, I merely wish to offer my condolences to real estate agent Lindsay Buziak’s entire family. I would also like to extend those condolences to the families of all of the other agents who have lost their lives trying to pursue their dreams, provide service to their clients, and just make an honest living.

Note By BiggerPockets: These are opinions written by the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of BiggerPockets.