A Santa Maria, Calif., real estate agent who often finds squatters in bank-owned homes that she’s been assigned to write up broker price opinions for says the .45-caliber pistol she’s been carrying for 10 years often comes in handy.

The agent, identified only as “Amanda,” tells the Santa Maria Sun that she’s probably encountered squatters in 15 homes she thought were vacant.

“Amanda announces herself before entering such properties, at which time most squatters climb out of a window and run away,” the Sun reports.

If they refuse to leave or show aggressive behavior, she says, “I’ll pull the gun out of my purse and I’ll just hold it in my hand where it’s visible, not in a threatening manner, and just have it there. And usually that’s just enough to get people to stop with the aggressive behavior and just go.”

Brian Anton, owner of a Santa Maria gun shop and shooting range, says his employees have trained thousands of people on how to handle a firearm, and that demand from women for such training is “pretty incredible.”

But Anton told the Sun that a firearm should be the last choice in self-defense.

“Situational awareness is the main thing, especially if you’re a Realtor who’s going to show a home or something with a man that you’ve never met before,” Anton said.

A rise in violence against real estate professionals prompted Inman News to publish a three-part series focusing on personal safety in 2011. Source: santamariasun.com

Show Comments Hide Comments
Sign up for Inman’s Morning Headlines
What you need to know to start your day with all the latest industry developments
By submitting your email address, you agree to receive marketing emails from Inman.
Success!
Thank you for subscribing to Morning Headlines.
Back to top
Only 3 days left to register for Inman Connect Las Vegas before prices go up! Don't miss the premier event for real estate pros.Register Now ×
Limited Time Offer: Get 1 year of Inman Select for $199SUBSCRIBE×
Log in
If you created your account with Google or Facebook
Don't have an account?
Forgot your password?
No Problem

Simply enter the email address you used to create your account and click "Reset Password". You will receive additional instructions via email.

Forgot your username? If so please contact customer support at (510) 658-9252

Password Reset Confirmation

Password Reset Instructions have been sent to

Subscribe to The Weekender
Get the week's leading headlines delivered straight to your inbox.
Top headlines from around the real estate industry. Breaking news as it happens.
15 stories covering tech, special reports, video and opinion.
Unique features from hacker profiles to portal watch and video interviews.
Unique features from hacker profiles to portal watch and video interviews.
It looks like you’re already a Select Member!
To subscribe to exclusive newsletters, visit your email preferences in the account settings.
Up-to-the-minute news and interviews in your inbox, ticket discounts for Inman events and more
1-Step CheckoutPay with a credit card
By continuing, you agree to Inman’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

You will be charged . Your subscription will automatically renew for on . For more details on our payment terms and how to cancel, click here.

Interested in a group subscription?
Finish setting up your subscription
×