As states slowly reopen, real estate agents are once again able to conduct in-person home tours. While good for business, the return of in-person showings also means more safety risk for Realtors, as seen this weekend when a Keller Williams Realtor in Lynchburg, Virginia was attacked at an open house.
The incident happened Saturday after a female Realtor was hit in the head with a blunt object, WDBJ news station said.
A call to authorities was received around 2 p.m. near Smith Mountain Lake at the Mariners Landing Subdivision in Huddleston, where Lenora Farrington was transported to a hospital, the report continued.
The suspect, Dustin Holdren, was arrested on Sunday and charged with aggravated malicious wounding. He is being held in the Blue Ridge Regional Jail with no bond, according to smithmountainlake.com. There are additional charges pending.
A GoFundMe page created by a fellow Keller Williams Realtor, Teresa Grant, had raised $96,193 as of Monday morning out of its $250,000 goal and is quickly growing.
“My sweet Realtor and friend, Lenora, was viciously attacked and beaten during her open house yesterday, June 20, 2020,” Grant said on the page. “She will have extensive medical bills as well as emotional trauma for the rest of her life. She is the sole provider of her home and moved here for a new life, only to have a vicious man walk in and steal her beautiful innocence.”
Realtor safety has been a concern for years, as the nature of the business often requires meeting strangers at showings or open houses. The National Association of Realtors offers a wide range of advice and resources on the topic, which can be found on their safety page.
