Q: Why would agents not tell you about the great schools?

Answer number one: Unless the agent says the same thing to every customer or client, that agent may be seen as practicing “steering.” Steering violates fair housing laws. It is the attempt to encourage people to buy in areas with people “just like” the buyer. In the past, this practice maintained segregated communities.

Here’s an example:

Suppose Dullsville has a reputation for great schools and town service. It is more expensive than the town next door, Blahburg, known for mediocre schools and town services. Of course, Dullsville is more expensive.

If an agent assumes that a buyer will want Dullsville for the good schools because of who the buyers are, that agent is discriminating. If the buyer is in a protected class, that agent is breaking the fair housing law.*

If an agent says this, the agent is breaking the law:

To a heterosexual, white, couple: Since schools are important to you, it might make sense to look in Dullsville and buy a smaller house. Blahburg has lower MCAS scores and sends fewer kids to 4-year colleges.

and

To a couple with a foreign accent: You will find a bigger house in Blahburg. Schools? They have MCAS scores at about the State average and send about 30 percent of their students to 4-year colleges. You can’t get a house as big as you want in Dullsville.

and

To two married men: You can get more house for the money in Blahburg (assuming they do not intend to have children.)

Answer number two: Agents avoid subjective judgments.

Realtor AJS commented that this was LAW [his capital letters.]

I don’t think it is actually law. I think it is one of those things that agents are taught in agent-school. “It is best to keep your opinion out of things that you can’t quantify,” say the real estate instructors. The problem is that one person’s nice neighborhood is another person’s slum.

This should not stop an agent from knowing the comparative, measurable quality of the town(s) their client or customer is asking about. The objective measures should be quoted. Clients or customers need to ultimately make their own decisions.

*Protected classes: Race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex (gender), sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability (mental or physical,) age (except elderly retirement communities that meet certain standards.)
There are additional classes in regard to rental housing.