BILLINGS — Billings-based real-estate agent Alyssa Webb has sold homes for over five years, but she had never experienced a situation like the one she was in last weekend.
She was showing a house virtually when she encountered an intruder in the home.
In a growing city like Billings, it’s no surprise to see a For Sale sign on many front lawns. But it’s what Webb found inside one of those homes this past Saturday that will haunt her for years to come.
“Saturday I was showing a home to my buyers via video. I was actually recording the video for them,” said Webb on Monday.
She opened a door off of the garage and found a man hiding right behind it.
“I thought, 'is he going to attack me? is he going to pull my leg? is he going to tackle me to the ground?'” Webb said.
Fortunately, she wasn’t alone, and her boyfriend was waiting outside. Someone called 911 but by the time police arrived, the man was gone.
“He was smoking a cigarette. I could then smell the cigarette smoke and I turned to the left and opened the door and locked eyes with him and I very quickly just shut the door and took off running,” said Webb.
She believes the man broke into the home after seeing the For Sale sign out front and got in through a broken window.
“And I think that’s something that can really be talked about in this industry, that maybe For Sale signs can be taken away for safety,” Webb said.
Webb knows the experience will have a lasting impact.
“I think I’m going to have a little trauma to unpack moving forward in my job,” she said, adding, “I show homes in the dark, on the weekends, at night, all hours of the day. And yes, I’m usually by myself,”
She’s since learned her experience isn’t unique. Comments started pouring in after she uploaded her videos to TikTok. They now have a combined 7 million views.
“There’s other Realtors that have commented and said they have gone through this many times in different cities, bigger more populated places where they’re running into squatters,” she said.
She hopes her story will serve as a warning to others.
“It can happen anywhere, close to home, any city, any state,” said Webb.
