3/14/08
Sorry about the delay in blogging. I have a very good subject to discuss today. I am working with some folks who are relocating to Gainesville, Ga. from out of state. They asked me to comment on several neighborhoods and to give them a breakdown of the racial make up. Well, since I value my career and the Real Estate license that I worked so hard to get and keep, I had to politely tell them that I am prohibited by law from commenting on anything pertaining to the racial make up of a neighborhood. That falls under the Fair Housing act that was in-acted in 1968. They asked me how they could find out about such things since they no nothing about the area being from out of state. I told them, like I tell any client that asks, the best way for you to do this is to observe the neighborhood
for yourself. Ride through at different times of the day as well as weekends. Knock on doors and meet your potential new neighbors, then decide on your own. We as REALTORS® are often asked if we can find out if a convicted sex offender lives in the area. A legitimate question. I have kids and I would want to know as well, but again, we aren't allowed to do that research for you. When I'm asked this, I give my clients the website to search for themselves. The website for Georgia is: www.state.ga.us/gbi/disclaim.html. It plainly states in our Purchase and Sales Agreements in paragraph 10, item “B”, “If a buyer is concerned about the possibility of a registered sex offender residing in a neighborhood in which buyer is interested, buyer should review the Georgia Violent Sex Offender Registry.” The thing is as much as some of us REALTORS® want to do everything for our clients, certain laws prohibit us. Next week I will talk about the difference between a customer and a client and what it means to be unrepresented. Thanks for your time! Feel free to post your comments below!
Kim Craft is a professional REALTOR in the Gainesville/Hall, White, Habersham, Lumpkin, Dawson, Jackson and Gwinnett county areas.
He can be reached at:
Cell: 770-654-6656
Email: kim.craft@coldwellbanker.com
Website: www.kimcraft.net
Listing of the week: 4604 Royal Lakes Drive Flowery Branch, Ga. Click here to view a video tour: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAx10EI-fkc
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