To many Americans it comes as no news or shock that the opioid crisis is plaguing our nation. Many families have been suffering for years at the hands of this disease. However, the crippling addiction is showing surprising affects on aspects of American culture one wouldn’t expect.

 

The opioid crisis is now even presenting to be a new threat to the job of being a realtor. Realtors had already reported that 38% of them feared for their personal safety while working. Female agents had reported that close to half of them feared for their safety while working. Now agents, especially those selling higher-end properties, are being attacked by users looking to scored prescription opioids.


Drugs addicts are presenting themselves as potential buyers to gain access to properties in order dig through the medicine cabinets to find their next fix.

 

One agent reported that while showing a $750,000 home in Texas she was hit over the head by the thought to be interested home buyer. The attacker then held the agent hostage and demanded money from her. In terror for her life the agent informed the attacker that she had a closing coming up in a few days and if he could wait should would give him her entire $4,000 commission just so that he would leave and not kill her. However, the attacker left the agent alone for a few minutes so he could acquire paper to write a hostage note and the agent used that brief moment to escape to her safety. Her attacker was arrested and admitted to being on drugs at the time of the incident. He is now serving 60 years in prison for aggravated robbery.

 

Software companies are trying to combat this rising issue of safety concern for agents through the development of software designed to provide background checks on potential clients by using just their name and phone number.

 

The background check software allows agents to vet a client before opening a home and providing them access to both the agent’s personal safety and the medicine cabinets within a home. The company behind the new software, Cogent, says their software, Forewarn, is a step in helping to prevent access to channels the can fuel this nation’s opioid epidemic.

 

 

*Information obtain from: Realtor Magazine, CNBC