Murder Of Arkansas Realtor Alarms Local Agents, Say Safety Precautions Needed
(CBS) -- The kidnapping and murder of Beverly Carter in Arkansas has alarmed residential real estate agents here in Chicago. There's a lot of activity on social media and CBS 2's Jim Williams reports they're expressing sympathy and discussing how to stay safe.
Terri Buseman of Chicago says Beverly Carter was murdered doing what Buseman and all real estate agents do every day, "just going to work, just innocently going to work and trying to do her job."
Buseman, who has sold homes in the Chicago area for a decade, often meets strangers alone. It's the nature of the job. There was the time she was alone with a man in a condo that left her uneasy. She says he got real close to her and made her feel vulnerable.
"I was trying to think where do I go? I'm kind of trapped. I can't get around this island," Buseman said.
She was unharmed, and the man just left. Buseman says she occasionally calls her husband before meeting a client. But in Arkansas, Beverly Carter called her husband before meeting Aaron Lewis. It didn't save her.
Buseman thinks agents should consider meeting all unfamiliar clients in an office first, then getting their drivers licenses.
"We need to band together as a group and work this out and figure this out and be smarter about the way we do our business," Buseman said.
It seems everyone in the residential real estate industry has the same thought. Already, in some offices new clients must fill out forms and provide identification.
A spokeswoman for the Chicago Association of Realtors released a statement saying, "The Chicago Association of REALTORS® community extends its heartfelt condolences to the family and colleagues of Beverly Carter. This is an unfortunate reminder for REALTORS® in Chicago and across the country to take the proper precautions to stay safe. As an association, we strive to connect our members to the tips and resources they need to protect themselves. We cannot reiterate enough the importance of safety first for our agents and their clients."