Adapted from an article by Stephanie Booth | Realtor.com
Your Realtor can answer almost any question about a house you’re interested in, but if you ask certain questions, you probably won’t get an answer. By not responding, they’re staying on the right side of the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits housing discrimination based on race, religion, sex, or family/economic status.
Here are the top 4 questions agents are asked, but most likely will not answer:
Is this a good place to raise a family?
Realtors who either encourage or discourage home buyers based on a question about children can face consequences in court. If you want to know this info, you’ll have to do your own research.
What’s the neighborhood like?
A friend will answer this question but your Realtor won’t because the answer could be deemed prejudicial. To check an area’s ethnic makeup, visit the U.S. Census website, which has all the details you want to know.
Is this area safe?
The answer to this could be construed as racist or classist, so most agents will keep their lips sealed on this one. Visit MyLocalCrime.com to access recent local crimes or vandalism.
How are the schools here?
A Realtor has to be careful not to let their answer be construed as a coded message about race. He or she can suggest websites that rank schools (ie, Great Schools and School Digger).
Whether you’re a buyer or seller, I can answer specific and legal questions about a property. If I’m not allowed to answer your question, I’ll direct you to the answers where you can check them out yourselves. If I don’t know the answer, I’ll find it for you. I strive to make your real estate transactions pleasant and successful. My clients will vouch for that–check here to read some of their testimonials! http://bit.ly/2p573wu
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