Can Real Estate Agents Help You Find Homes With Highly Rated Schools?

Ask a real estate agent about schools, and you might get nothing more than a pained smile and a school-information website or two. Your agent isn’t purposely giving you the run-around. Certain details about a neighborhood or community can violate the Fair Housing Act, which was enacted in 1968 to eliminate housing discrimination. The law protects against discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, family status, disability, or religion. In particular, it prohibits any real estate professional from steering prospective home buyers or renters toward or away from a community based on any of the classes under federal protection. 

If you ask a particular question or express interest in a certain type of neighborhood, these agents may not be able to speak clearly to your request.

What your real estate agent can’t tell you

• Agents cannot talk about particular schools as being good or bad, because school performance may be an indicator of race. The agent may also not know whether the buyer is looking for demographics or graduation rates. Fortunately, there are other sources that allow you to check school performance and draw your own conclusions about which school you want your children to attend. It would also be a good idea to seek out some folks and talk to people living in the neighborhood already.
• Real estate agents are not allowed to talk about crime data. Crime statistics are a piece of public information, but because crime rates often lead to conclusions about the racial makeup of an area, your agent is best protected by letting you find your own conclusions. The race is a protected class under the Fair Housing Act and whether it’s the intention or not, discussing the crime rate of a particular area could lead to assumptions about the racial makeup of that area. If finding out about crime in an area is of particular interest to you there are plenty of free sources to look at. 
• What about the religious makeup of the community? Your real estate agent cannot tell you what the religious makeup of a community is, nor can they steer you toward a specific one even if you ask. What they can provide you with is a complete list of houses of worship in an area. They can take you to see a home that you specify by geographic location after you research places of worship in a specific location. Again, the Fair Housing Act does not allow an agent to steer a buyer toward or away from a homebased on religion. 
• Is this a good place to raise a family? Speaking of families, agents answering any questions about them can be hazardous, since they are a protected class under the Federal Fair Housing Act. The buyer is welcome to observe the comings and goings of the residents in the building and make their own determination. Clients may also inquire about a development’s amenities, which may include a children’s playroom. Additionally, the buyer can take a look at the local playgrounds, community centers, venues, libraries, and restaurants. You can also discover a lot of information about a place through its local events, businesses, and publications. 

Using a real estate agent is a great way to avoid many of the headaches associated with buying or selling a home. As part of their services, they can help you appropriately price your home, negotiating on your behalf, and their access to an MLS-and exclusive network of property listings-can help you sell your home or find the right one before the general public ever sees it. But, as licensed professionals, there are some things that your agent can’t tell you, as mentioned above. 

Dedicated to understanding your needs, Signature Properties Group incorporates technology into the home buying and selling process. Contact us today to get started.