A realtor shows clients a property. (The Herald/Submitted Photo)

Recent studies by the National Association of Realtors and the Bureau of Labor Statistics have reported that selling real estate is a riskier occupation than people may think. With agent murders reportedly increasing, and a higher than average suicide rate, surviving a drop in the housing market has the added problem of the hazards associated with that line of work.

Seymour realtor Brad Walker conducts training on realtor safety, and said that danger in showing property has always existed. He knows of a situation where an attractive agent was targeted and attacked in a secluded construction site. Walker said he has not seen a problem with violence in the Seymour area, though.

“It’s rare that anything will happen,” he said, “but it happens.”

He has spoken to a couple of agents who were engaged in altercations during property showings, but he said those incidents did not involve violence. Although crimes have occurred against numerous real estate agents in past years, Walker said they are few and far between.

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