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Are Realtors Safer When They Carry A Weapon?

Written by Posted On Tuesday, 29 November 2016 09:14

Do you carry a gun to work? If not, then you are in the majority, but not by as much as you think. One of your other three colleagues may be packing a weapon in some form, whether that is a gun, a Taser, or some other type of weapon. There is a clear reason for this, since as a realtor you are responsible for showing homes and apartments to people all day, every day. You’re often alone, and this can be a scary thought given the fact that you don’t always know who you are meeting. If you’ve thought about buying a weapon to carry with you to showings, then here are a couple more reasons why you might want to consider it (or not).

 

You’re Heading Into The ‘great Unknown’ Every Day

In the book (and feature film) The Martian, the main character experiences what can go wrong when you venture into the great unknown. Fortunately for most realtors, they aren’t taking risks like showing properties on Mars, but you’d be kidding yourself if you don’t think that you are heading into an unknown situation every day.

 

Those unknown situations are almost always going to play out as you’d expect, maybe with a few bumps along the way, but you will rarely find yourself in a potentially dangerous situation. Unfortunately, it only takes one situation to really matter, as Ashley Oakland, a 27-year-old real estate agent who was killed on the job found out.

 

Having a weapon by your side doesn’t mean that you are going to need it, but if you do find yourself in a situation that requires that you protect yourself, it can mean the difference between life or death.

 

Having A Gun Doesn’t Matter If You Don’t Know How To Use It

Having (or carrying) a gun doesn’t immediately make you safe, and in fact it can be very dangerous. There are over 600 fatalities and over 19,000 gun injuries every year, per the CDC. This potential for injury or death is scary, but it can be dramatically limited by the amount of training that you have. If you are trained in the proper use of a firearm, you give yourself a much better ability to protect yourself and limit accidental injuries because you are now carrying a gun.

 

Carrying a gun is a serious choice, and if you are considering this for yourself, then you should think about getting the right training before you bring it with you on a daily basis.

 

Training on how to fire a weapon is one thing, but as a realtor, you should be able to spot potentially dangerous situations before they become an issue. If you are focused on looking for warning signs, you may be able to diffuse them or get out of the situation before it turns into a serious issue. This is often a far better choice than using your weapon, and it can limit the amount of uncomfortable situations you experience on the job.

 

Carrying The Wrong Type Of Gun Can Work Against You

Most realtors will end up carrying on their person, in a bag or in their vehicle, but carrying the wrong weapon can be just as dangerous as not having one, and it can hurt your ability to work as well. Unless you live in certain parts of the country (and if you do then you probably know it), carrying a large weapon on your side is going to put off potential clients. You want to buy a gun that is able to be properly carried in a safe, concealed manner that allows you to get to your weapon quickly, and use it quickly if necessary. This necessities using a small pistol or maybe a larger weapon in a vehicle.

 

If you don’t use the right gun, you put yourself in harm’s way as well. You want to be able to quickly access your weapon, and if it’s too large or unwieldy, then it can actually be used on you if you are unable to get to it as quickly as possible.

 

Ultimately, the choice to carry (or not) is a personal one. On one hand, it can help you feel a lot more comfortable going about your day to day work, and give you a sense of confidence that you are safe, no matter where you are showing a property. On the other hand, you need to make sure that you choose a weapon wisely, and that you are properly trained on how to use it. On top of that, you want to make sure that you are being smart about what types of situations you are putting yourself in, since being vigilant can help you defuse many of these situations before they become serious problems.

 

 

Are you in favor of carrying a weapon? What are your views? Let us know in the comments.

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