It's not uncommon for people selling homes to be assaulted while working alone.
Realtors being attacked on the job is something that happens a lot more than many people may realize. Harrowing stories from agents illustrate the danger they can sometimes face when working by themselves with a stranger.
A Los Angeles realtor was attacked during an open house in Encino Sunday. The incident was caught on video and the realtor, who wishes to remain anonymous, says she thought she was going to die.
"I think he would have raped me, that's number one, and he would've killed me,” she said.
The woman says she recognized that man from a previous open house and became suspicious, so she moved their conversation to the porch. It was there that he pushed her into the bushes, grabbed her chest and tried to take her necklace. He then took off.
The attack left her with bruises and cuts.
And Brianna King, a realtor with Rodeo Reality in Beverly Hills, says there have been times she has been concerned for her own safety while showing homes.
"You are a target. There are more women in this industry than men," she told Inside Edition. "You can never be too careful. There are complete and total strangers walking into your open house."
Linda Tedesco still remembers the day a man posed as a potential buyer and cornered her in a walk-in closet.
"He said this is a robbery — get down -— then bound me with duct tape and threw me to the ground. I was terrified, I thought they were going to rape me or kill me,” she told Inside Edition.
Tedesco managed to free herself and run to a neighbor's house. Since that day, Tedesco has taught her own children, who are also realtors, how important it is to protect yourself.
Kathy Card of Damsel in Defense showed a class of women how to protect themselves. "It is crucial that they learn self-defense, get into a class and to have a tool with you," she said.
Inside Edition also spoke to safety expert Steve Kardian, who said there are steps anyone selling a home can take to minimize their risk of being attacked.
“Always trust your instincts,” he said. “If someone gives you a strange feeling get out of the house.”
He says never turn your back to a potential buyer.
Another tip, do not follow someone into a tight space where you won't have an easy exit, like a basement, closet or bathroom.
Realtors can also download safety apps on their phones that can alert authorities when they're in distress.
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