If you ever ask a real estate agent specific questions about neighborhood demographics and don’t receive a direct answer, it’s because you have started treading in dangerous territory.

Real estate agents know the definition of steering:

the illegal funneling of home buyers to a particular area based on the desire to keep the makeup of that neighborhood the same or intentionally change it. Racial steering receives the most consumer complaints, but the practice is not acceptable for any reason, and it goes against Fair Housing laws.

A real estate agent’s job is to match buyer’s financial parameters with desired features of available properties, not to the racial (or other) makeup of the area. If you ask a Realtor to remove certain areas from your home search based on any of the protected classes, your agent cannot legally follow your request or instructions, even if they are a Buyer Agent. A real estate agent may not answer your direct questions as to the make-up of a neighborhood with regard to the following protected classes:

Protected Classes
• race
• color
• national origin
• religious preference
• sex
• familial status

SOLUTION: If you really want to know about a neighborhood then Rent-a-Dog and go for a walk. You will be amazed at what you see and observe while walking around the neighborhoods you are considering. The reason I suggest to Rent-a-Dog, especially if it is a Golden Retriever like one of mine, is they are like a magnet and cause people to stop and talk to you. You are perfectly free to ask any question about the neighborhood with anyone who is not a real estate agent.

Posted By: Sonja Lovas