There's a LOT of law involved with real estate. We aren't legally allowed to tell you which areas are good and which are bad. The *only* thing we can legally do is suggest a potential buyer goes to the area the house is at for various times of the day. Morning, afternoon, night. Get a feel for the neighborhood. Then the potential buyer can check police records to determine if an area is good or not.
"Are there many kids in this neighborhood?"
The only answer I'm allowed to say is I don't know. Why don't we drive around and see if we spot many, or if there are parks in use, or if people have swing sets in their backyard. We really aren't able to give the potential homeowner any information except on the quality of that particular house. And even then, we can only go off the records. Unless of course, you have a history with construction, you are not allowed to give judgement on anything as a realtor.
6 Ways to Avoid Illegal Steering
EDIT: The reason why there are so many scummy realtors is because the barrier for entry is set so low. And yes, this is the primary reason that I took this job. However, as the previous vice president of my company, I've always been very ethical. So no problem there.
One of the other reasons why most realtors are scummy is because they are independent contractors. A question was asked about what it would take to make Realtors a more ethical group, and the answer was if they became employees of the broker they practiced under. If they
had to follow the directions of said broker. Unfortunately, they don't. A broker can offer guidance, but the agent is under no responsibility to listen. It's pretty sad, really. But as a result of there being so many horrible agents out there, if you become a good ethical one, you will stand far above the crowd. That's what my goal is. And I hope my honesty shines through to any potential buyer or seller.
