Don't Ask Me!

When I work with buyers searching for their dream home, I am regularly asked questions about specific neighborhoods or schools.  Sometimes people will simply say they don’t want to live in a specific neighborhood or have their child attend THAT school.  People will ask me is a certain area is a “bad” neighborhood or a “good” neighborhood.

Home buyers are often unaware of the fair housing regulations that are in place and prevent Realtors from “steering” clients from a specific area.  Doing this could cost me my license to sell real estate, not to mention breaking the law.  In order to keep my real estate license in good standing, I am required to complete continuing education and update my fair housing classes.  What exactly can I tell clients when they ask these questions?  What determines if an area or school is “bad” or “good?”  Who’s definition, or standard of determining “bad” or “good,” should be used?   The answer to those questions is actually very easy. I can provide my clients with specific information about any neighborhood and provide factual information for specific questions.

For instance, if you determine if a neighborhood is “bad” based on the crime rate in the area, then I would suggest you contact the Rutherford County Sherriff’s Department and the Murfreesboro Police Department and request information on the crime rate in the city, or the specific area you are interested in living.  Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) also keeps records of crimes committed on campus which are available on their MTSU Dept of Public Safety Website. If you are concerned about sex offenders who may live in a specific area, you should visit the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's website.  This website maintained by the TBI contained a list of offenders convicted of sexual offenses on or after July 1, 1997.  The search can be conducted by Last name, city, or zip code. 

Some individuals feel that the school zones and reputation of each school determine the “good” or “bad” neighbors.  If you have concerns for the schools, you can visit the Tennessee Department of Education Report Card website.  This report provides proficiency benchmarks in nine subgroups, including five race and ethnicity groups, students with disabilities, limited English proficient students, economically disadvantaged students, and the school as a whole.  Information can be searched for each school system as well as the individual schools.  I have also found Stand and Poor’s School Matters website to be a wealth of information regarding individual schools and their performance. 

If the demographics for the area are of interest to you, then you may find that information on websites like MuniGuide, Wikipedia, Area Connect, or even Yahoo.  My websites, www.SherriWellborn.com and www.SoldonTN.com both have a wealth of information regarding the quality of life in various communities and helpful resources for the area. 

I hope you can see that I am happy to provide you with as much information as you need to select the right home and neighborhood for you and your family.  If you have any concerns, or need specific information on an area, just ask me!  But please, don’t ask me if an area is “good” or “bad.”  That is one question that I just can’t answer!