"Not in my neighborhood!"

Lesson ONE as a New Real Estate Agent...if a seller wishes to list their property for sale with you, whether it be as an exclusive listing, or an open listing (one generally includes a posting in the Multiple Listing Service, the other doesn't), and they say something or anything similar to the following..."we don't want any of those types looking at our home because we don't like what they will likely do to it, and our neighbors will be very upset with us..." You should immediately pick up your paperwork, let them know that you can not work with them, and that your duty is to NEVER discriminate under any circumstances.  I have actually done this.  Sadly, I have had the occasional seller tell me who I should, and should not have look at their house.  They, in the end, listed with someone else.

Worse, is when a neighbor see's a sign on their neighbors house, or they hear that their neighbor is selling, feels the need to tell them who they would like to see as a neighbor.  Innocently someone could say..."oh, we'd love to see some kids in the neighborhood."  Maybe, give that a pass...but, when they say "we hope you sold to a purple family with only boys, and that they intend to keep the house painted blue because we don't like a yellow house."  Really?  Who are they to say?  I've had clients lose long term neighborhood friendships over such a thing.  My job as their a Realtor is to provide a READY, WILLING, AND ABLE BUYER.  It's NOT my job to suggest to the seller that certain people although financially ABLE, and who are in fact READY AND WILLING should not be Considered because they are not Purple, and they are planning renovations (BIG or small).

My client, the seller, in the end decides, after I've advised them on the buyers ABILITY TO BUY whether or not the price and terms before them are acceptable, and if the will create a mutually beneficial transaction.  When a seller makes the decision that they wish to proceed with a specific buyer, WHY WOULD THE NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR, OTHER NEIGHBORS, THEIR FRIENDS WHO DONT EVEN LIVE IN THE AREA AND ANYONE ELSE feel they have a say as to whether or not this buyer is suitable?   Would these folks ever want to be dictated to when they were to sell their property?  My guess is NO!

It's always interesting to see the complacency by people when "it's not in THEIR neighborhood."  But when it's next door...some have been known to go full guns!   So disappointing that in this day and age, people find the need to discriminate, and are so blatant about it, and are able to get others to fight their fight.

Although I have experienced such situations in my years on the job, I am happy to say, they have been rare,  and dealt with swiftly.  As a Realtor, I am confident that any and all of my fellow Realtors would do the same.