How Should We Answer This Question... "Are the schools good"?

Buyers often ask their Realtor questions about the quality of schools in the various areas they are considering in the purchase of their new home. However, since each person's perception of what is good and and what is bad can vary greatly, I don't think that it is a good idea to answer this type of question. If you provide information that is false, misleading or misunderstood, nothing good can come of it. So, I feel that the best way to handle questions about school districts and specific schools is to provide resources where your client can research and analyze the school information that is important to them.

In the state of North Carolina, one outstanding resource is www.ncreportcards.org. The annual report cards found on this website provide parents and others who are interested in the North Carolina public school system with information about specific schools and school districts, as well as state data in a number of areas. The information provided includes student performance on tests, teacher qualifications, school safety, class and school sizes, and much more.

Visit this website, http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/states/, and click your state on the map to find similar information about schools in your state.

What do you tell your clients when they ask you about school quality, etc?