Danger lurks around every corner, or in this case, every house. Home shoppers are usually happy go-lucky individuals looking for the perfect home. But there is no way to ensure every buyer who asks for a showing is legit and not a potential threat to an agent.
Real estate agents on a daily basis meet complete strangers with little more than a name and some general background information. So just how safe are you?
Looking at data from Location, Inc., which provides location-based data and risk analysis information, we listed the top 10 most dangerous cities for agents in 2013.
10. Inkster, Mich.
Just barely squeezing into the top ten list, Inkster recorded 1,394 violent and property crimes in 2013. While this may seem relatively small, the overall population of the city is just slightly up 25,000.
9. Newburgh, N.Y.
This small city almost has a population of 30,000 and is located about and hour and a half north of New York City. While it is not even close in size to the Big Apple, your chances of becoming a victim of a violent crime in Newburgh are 1 in 54, compared to 1 in 246 for the entire state of New York.
8. St. Louis, Mo.
While it is the Gateway to the West, the city also ranks as the eighth most violent city in America. The state’s property crime rate comes in at a 1 in 30 chance of being involved in a property crime, while the St. Louis area has a 1 in 14 chance.
7. Atlantic City, N.J.
Atlantic City’s population comes in just under 40,000, but it still ranks at number 7 with 3,152 violent and property crimes in 2013.
6. Detroit, Mich.
Detroit has hit the headlines a lot recently for its financial debt, but the problems run deeper than just money. You have a 1 in 17 chance of becoming a victim in a property crime and a 1 in 47 chance of becoming a victim in a violent crime in Detroit.
5. Saginaw, Mich.
North of Detroit, Saginaw has a much smaller population but still records a total of 2,976 violent and property crimes in 2013, with a population slightly over 51,000.
4. West Memphis, Ark.
West Memphis is the furthest south city on the list and holds a crime rate of 117 per 1,000 residents.
3. Flint, Mich.
Marking the last Michigan cities on the list and located about halfway between Detroit and Saginaw, Flint ranks in at third place due to its hefty crime rate. While it does have a higher population compared to others on the list, it still has a crime rate of 85 per 1,000 residents.
2. Camden, N.J.
Camden is tucked next to Philadelphia, Pa. For a city with a population of almost 78,000, it documented 6,080 crimes in 2013.
1. East St. Louis, Ill.
Reigning as the most dangerous city in America, East St. Louis is actually the other half to number eight on the list. While St. Louis has a population of over 318,000, East St. Louis has only 27,000 residents. But even with the smaller amount, it struggles with a crime rate of over 117 offenses per 1,000 people.
While there is no official list by the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the most dangerous cities, the website pulled data from the number of violent crimes reported to the FBI and the population of each city to create the chart.
But not all hope is lost if your city is on the list.
The National Association of Realtors published an article on how to protect yourself as a Realtor.
Realtors are constantly at risk when showing foreclosed homes, touring properties and driving around clients. In order to better protect yourself, be sure to always let others know where you are and use the buddy system. While these steps may require more planning, it is your life on the line. For more in-depth tips, be sure to read the article.
Disagree with this list or think your city should be on it? We would like to know your thoughts, so share your comments below.
