Is this a nice Neighborhood?

Boy is this a loaded question. I am guided by rules of ethics that govern the conduct of Realtors, and if I answer inappropriately to this question, I could potentially lose my license. Actually, a fellow that called my office yesterday asking about a condo near the Plaza asked me this very question, then he went on to mention a certain street which he heard that he didn’t want to be near. I just simply answered, “I think the condo is very nice and it is walking distance to the Plaza.” Who am I to say what type of neighborhood someone is going to like? And if I lead them toward or away from an area, that can be construed as “steering”, and that is a major no-no.

So, what are people really talking about when they want a “good neighborhood”? They should consider: home values, schools, crime, architecture, sense of community, active home association, nearby churches, etc. If you want to know if an area is safe, call the Sheriff’s office. If you want to know about schools, visit websites that have school rankings, or better yet, go tour the school and meet with someone in the district. Even if I could tell you, would you really want to rely on my assumptions? I am an expert on selling homes, not on schools or crime statistics.

I do like to help people find areas that they want to live, but there are better ways to go about finding their future neighborhood than just taking my word for it. For example, I actually drive around and give them a tour of the area. They can decide for themselves if they like what they see. Also, I suggest that they go back on their own at night – just to see if it gives off the same impression as it does during the day. Grab your dog and go for a walk in the neighborhood after work one day – talk to some neighbors and see what you think.