Thanks for your advice but come on, give us the story. We want to hear.

The house is a three story which I bet in it's day was beautiful. Brick exterior, with all new windows. The grand dame of the block. Exterior has marble (yes, really) steps. It had originally been a two family but was converted (badly) into a SFD. Anyway, when I got there with my fiance the door was open. He poked his head around the corner and saw blankets and pillows, so he told me to call the police. Several of his buddies work for the police department.

The cop shows up we go inside and it's a mess. We found a newly opened wall to the second floor (after the copper pipes had been ripped out)and all three of us head up there. I let the two guys to up to the third floor to take pictures up there because they said the stairs were unstable. I waited. When they started down from the third story, I headed down to the first. As I crawled through the hole in the wall, I saw something move. As I lifted my head, it was someone with a gun pointed at my head. Right behind him was another cop with HIS gun pointed at the first guy. I screamed. Shots were fired. My poor honey about lost it. I not quite fainted but I collasped. And when I recovered, the paramedics were over me and the victim was hurt but he will survive. I've never been that close to anyone getting shot.
Anyway, that's what happened. For what it's worth.

Oh my God!! I'm so glad you are OK. You were right to share that with us. I'm pretty careful but it's a good wake up call for me and I'm sure others on this forum to hear your story. Thanks for telling us. I take my husband to most of my interiors but I am going to put it at the top of my to do list to get a gun and learn how to use it this summer. I've been thinking about it for a while. That seals it for me.

I know...my fiance is well trained in handguns. That is what we are thinking as well. His worry is that because I am so short that someone could overpower me and take the gun and use it against me. You know, I don't ever think until that moment that I ever really thought about this job being dangerous. And, it isn't always. But in those situations where it could be, it is important to have a plan. I'm still developing one only because there are so many variables.
Anyone else have any safety thoughts?

Glad you survived. This is a real wake up call for doing interiors. I am not sure I will do any more on vacant homes.

MBRKR - Again, I highly recommend the gun and lessons and practice at your local range. My husband insisted on it for me and I obliged, agreeing that, yes, you just never know-but hearing your story just backs it up. I mean, sure, there are times you may be on an interior that starts to make you think to yourself,"Did I lock the door?" "What was that sound?" I have a little more comfort knowing that I am armed and that I can confidently unload 9 shots within a 0inch to 2 foot radius of my target, in quck draw style, up to 25 yards away. I just figure that it's pretty likely that the assailant will be shot somewhere that will slow him down or worse! I'm not some Rambo-Mom Realtor. I'm short, too(less than 5'4",) but I have quickly grown to enjoy going to the range with my husband and I'm actually getting to be pretty good. This used to be something that he just did with his friends, but now we all do it and it is an enjoyable outing and a great confidence booster. The guys used to tease me about going all Dirty Harry, because I started out by learning to simply walk up, pull and start firing in rapid succession. I told them that safety and protection was my main goal and I certainly wasn't going to ask some meth-addict, crack-head killer to stand still, while I made sure that I was in the right stance and by the way, could he move a little to the right so I could get a better line on him. No, I will learn how to point blank, fill someone with lead and then practice on pinpoint bullseye shooting. You have to have your priorities. Now that I've gone on and on the basic point is, get your concealed carry permit(taked about six to 10 weeks, counting the FBI background check,)pick a gun you are comfortable with(since your fiance likes guns and has officer friends, that shouldn't be a problem,)start with a .22 and go up, until you have what feels good to shoot as well as reasonably carry on your person, practice alot(it will be fun to do it together or as a group of friends)and last but not least, make sure you get in the habit of taking it with you everywhere you go(keep it in the car if you have to go to a school or some other government building-not a good idea to take it with you to the tax assessor's office-even of you really wanted to on those bad days!!! :-) In today's world, you simply cannot afford to risk it all, by putting your head in the sand and pretending that the not-so-nice is not there. You can only hope that you do not meet up with it, again or are at least prepared, if you do.

Have a Good One!!!

Jen

Protect yourself!

Again, I agree with JenM. Shooting is fun, and learning to properly use a handgun can be a fun activity. Again, find the local cop who is a gun nut (there are quite a few) and have him bring a selection of his 100+ guns in his gun safe out to the range and let you shoot them. Find a gun that you are comfortable with and buy something similar for yourself.

Training builds competence, and competence builds confidence. And most of the time, you will not be shooting it out with anyone so much as the presence of a weapon in your control will prevent the bad guy from going any further.

Make sure that you have the mental and spiritual makeup that you could shoot someone. If you can't do this, don't buy a gun as a prop or a toy. Think about it now! As Gunnery Sergeant Hartman meant to say, "If you hesitate at the moment of truth, you will become a dead REALTOR(R), as someone will take the gun away from you and stick it up your... nose." If someone tries to take your gun, shoot them. Do not let it go.

I was thinking about the building search tactics that I learned throughout my years of police work. I guess that it would look funny for me to be acting all tactical in an REO, but I will do that before I will allow someone to harm me! I have shot folks before, in the line of duty, and I slept just fine afterwards. I would not sleep just fine if I ended up in the hospital and could not support my family, and I do not have plans of taking a dirt nap anytime soon.

And, last but not least, GET ATTUNED TO LISTENING TO THAT LITTLE VOICE IN YOUR HEAD THAT TELLS YOU THAT SOMETHING BAD IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN! Do not ignore it! It is there for a reason! Back out, and re-assess!

mbrkr...i am sorry that happened to you, but am very glad you are ok!!! i would be so freaked out at this point!

listening to that story and another recent incident here where a male agent got beat in the head with a hammer and robbed, i think maybe i will start searching the web on gun ranges in my area. although, i never go to interiors alone, that does not matter!!!

thanks guys for your words of wisdom!

OK, you freaked me out!! I would have never thought. When my husband and I do interiors, I just head on in like nothing concerns me. Now I will be more cautious and on alert. That's scary.