Four conversations you cannot have with your Realtors®

 

When you are on the hunt for a new construction home, enlisting the help of real estate professional is a smart move.  They can be valuable resource and your personal ally.  They can field a myriad of technical questions about homes, the real estate market and the mortgage process.  Ultimately, they can save you money on the purchase of your new home (check out about the various benefits). While you can count on their expertise on most topics, Realtor.com advises that there are four questions you should not expect your agent to answer.  This doesn’t indicate that they have a knowledge deficit on these topics, rather that these topics fall under the purview of the Fair Housing Act. This act is legislation designed to protect against discrimination on the basis of race, religion sex or family/economic status.  Since bringing these topics up with your agent won’t get the answers you need, we’ll help you find the answers on your own.


1.  Tell me what the neighborhood is like?

When Realtors® hear this question, they likely also hear racial undertones, even though that was likely the farthest thing from your mind.  “Redlining” is a term that will quickly put real estate agents on edge--it is the practice of steering a potential homebuyer towards or away from a specific neighborhood based on race.  If your agent were to make any comments that skirt around the topic of neighborhood composition, they run the risk of redlining.  

To learn more about an area’s makeup we recommend a quick visit to the U.S. Census Bureau’s website.  Or, for a less statistical approach, take advantage of Realtors.com/local. You can use the site to discover more about a neighborhood and also to ask questions of current residents in the area.
 

2.  Is this neighborhood family-friendly & a good place to raise kids?

Any discussion involving kids also addresses family status. For an agent to discuss that would put them in an awkward position in regard to Fair Housing laws.  They can’t state that an area might not be “family-friendly” because that implies that children aren’t welcome. Conversely, designating a neighborhood as “family-friendly” might exclude families without kids. Both statements could be construed as discriminatory.  

A great way to pick up on a neighborhood’s vibe is to take a drive around see what you can observe. Often residents are more than happy to talk about their experiences living in the community.


3.  Are the schools good?

You might be beginning to recognize a common theme here…When asked about the quality of school systems Realtors® should also approach the topic with caution.  Unfortunately, our country’s long-standing history of racial divide is sometimes evidenced in the geographic division of schools and comments regarding the caliber of a school could potentially be interpreted as racist.     

Rest assured that there is an abundance of websites that are great resources for ranking schools in your area. Check out Great Schools and School Digger.  The good news is, when you’re shopping new construction, many master-planned new construction communities often include new schools as part of their design. Cane Bay, Carnes Crossroads, Nexton and Summers Corner all have new schools that are garnering positive attention.


4.  How safe is the neighborhood?

Just like we talked about with redlining in topic #1, if you were to ask your Realtors® if a neighborhood is safe and they responded, many comments (for instance if they were pertaining to gang violence) might be construed as racist.  In real estate the official term for this is “steering” and it’s critical that agents avoid this practice.

There are several other ways to ascertain if the neighborhood is safe.  If you call the non-emergency line at your local police station, they can likely provide you with enough information that you can formulate a clear picture.  Websites such as My Local Crime can provide crime statistics, providing maps showing the location of individual incidents.
 
With just a little bit of digging you can find answers to your questions about your new potential neighborhood. This helps protect your Realtors® and lets them take care of the other important aspects of their job, like helping you find a great new house and negotiating a great price.

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Thank you for reading and sharing our articles from The Greater Charleston New Homes Guide. Our business is to know Charleston, SC's new home construction, home builders, neighborhoods, and homes so we may assist you as you take your new construction home journey. Please take the time to explore our site. The Greater Charleston New Homes Guide is considered the best and most reliable ‘local’ resource to new home construction, builders, neighborhoods, and homes throughout the Lowcountry since 2004.

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