Who Are My Neighbors?

The recent furor over a Louisiana judge who refused to marry an interracial couple made me think of related questions I have been asked during my career as a Realtor. I have been asked, in various ways, what the ethnic make up of a prospective neighborhood is. This may be a perfectly innocuous question or it can be an out right declaration of “I don’t want to live near THEM!”

To ask your Realtor this question puts them in a very difficult position. Realtors adhere to a specific code of conduct and ethics and one of the principles of this code include the avoidance of “Steering”. “Steering” is defined as “the illegal practice of channeling home seekers to particular areas, either to maintain homogeneity of an area or to change the character of an area, which limits their home choices.” (defined found at www.realestatewords.com). Steering is also a direct violation of the Fair Housing Act.

Other questions that can cause a Steering violation include questions about houses of worship, questions concerning the predominate age of residents, number of children in an area, crime rate questions, school district questions, or any questions that brings up race, creed, sexual orientation, age or any other protected category.

As I said, most often the questions are asked, not to discriminate against any one group, but to find an area that best fits a potential buyers needs. If you have small children, you probably want to find a neighborhood that has lots of other children. If you attend worship services on a regular basis and you don’t drive, you want to know where the closest house of worship for you is. If you are young and childless, you may want to be in an area with other people your age. The scenarios are as varied as the buyers themselves. However, asking your Realtor to “steer” you toward neighborhoods with your particular set of preferences can be asking them to not only break their code, but also place themselves in a legal dilemma.

So, how do you find what you want without getting anyone into hot water? Ask your Realtor to give you the web address of the local government. You can check out the census bureau information at http://www.factfinder.census.gov. If you are concerned about crime, call the local law enforcement facility. Get a local phone book and find the listings for “Houses of Worship”.

I often get the question “How are the schools in this area?” This is also a question that you can answer yourself. There are several websites that rate schools as well as sites that are forums for parents to express opinions of their school. Also, nothing beats a visit to the school during school hours. Ask for a tour and maybe take a moment to chat with someone in the office. Make sure you call ahead and ask for an appointment. Schools are very busy places and may not have time to show you around if you have not called ahead. Security is also to be considered. Schools tend to not want strangers walking around school grounds and you may be asked to leave if you have not made an appointment.

If you really want to check out the make up of a neighborhood, don’t put your Realtor on the spot. Take your time and visit any prospective neighborhood at different times. Weekday evenings and weekend afternoons when people are home from work and children are out of school, will give you a good feel for life in a community. This will tell you if the community is “busy” or “quiet”. A side benefit is this will also give you an idea of any parking problems that might exist. Most every neighborhood looks great when no one is home!

Your Realtor is there to assist you in any way they can. Asking questions is the only way you can communicate your needs. Taking care how you ask the questions can make a big difference in how or if the questions can be answered. The best way I know of to make sure your Realtor shows you the homes you want to see is to be upfront and honest about your needs and concerns. Communication is always key!

To view real estate in the Hilton Head Island/Bluffton area please view my website atwww.KatGardner.com .  You may also contact me at Kat@KatGardner.com or 843-422-3381.