School Districts, statistics, etc.

Schools are important to list on the MLS as some people want to look in a specific school district.  Yes, redistricting happens, but that is out of our control as agents.  I personally stay on top of boundary change proposals so I can tell clients that, as I seem to work with a lot of families.

I have no problem telling people that so and so school has gotten exceptional ratings from the state 5 years in a row as long as it is true.  I think the important thing is to stick to facts. Number 1 school is an oddity and I would not use that, but this really goes to ethics and honesty. 

I tell people how the schools rate by the state and then they can decide what they want.  All of that information is online and easily accessed.  If a school has gotten strong to exceptional ratings from the state for 10 years it is a good school, and I don't think it's lawsuit material to call a school like that good.  Calling a school good is the same as calling a neighborhood desirable, quiet, wonderful or whatever many adjectives agents use to describe things.  Who says the neighborhood is desirable???  If the data indicates the school is good, call it good.  If there is little resale in a neighborhood and homes sell fast, it is desirable.  As long as the facts indicate it, there is no issue that I can see.

 People expect agents to be experts on the community in which they are purchasing.  If you can't answer any questions about the community due to concerns about a lawsuit, then why do they need you?

By the way, I am a real estate agent who owns my own brokerage.

If the info is public I see no reason not to tell people where the schools are and how they are doing on the statewide test scores. It breaks it down into black and white students as mandated by the state. There is a very high correlation between the test scores and real estate values. Many of our schools are open to all students in a parish and not just to a district. You get very good schools and a lot of terrible ones. I just give them the list so they can decide where they want to be. The scores and breakdowns are published yearly by the state. Very few schools are integrated until you get to the magnet schools where you find all students are their to learn and behave. Give the facts. 

The districts that show up in my mls are pulled by the system.  I am careful not to make any comments regarding the quality of the schools for liability reasons.  There are ways for them to discover and determine this on their own including web sites for them to compare MEAP scores.