The Real Reason Realtors Avoid Talking About Schools

Cameron Norfleet
Aug 28
2 min read

One of the most common questions homebuyers ask Realtors is about the quality of schools and school districts. While this is an understandable concern for families, it’s an area where real estate professionals must tread carefully. Discussing the quality of a school can unintentionally cross into Fair Housing issues, since comments about schools may be interpreted as comments about the people or demographics in a community.

Because of this, many Realtors avoid offering personal opinions on schools. Instead, we direct buyers to independent, publicly available resources so they can form their own judgments.

Reliable Resources You Can Use

Here are three of the most widely used and free-to-access platforms that provide detailed school information:

GreatSchools.org – Offers a simple 1–10 rating system based on test scores, student progress, and equity. It’s an easy way to get a quick snapshot of how a school is performing.
Niche.com – Provides detailed “report cards” with grades for academics, teachers, clubs, diversity, and college prep. It combines hard data with student and parent reviews, giving you a well-rounded perspective.
SchoolDigger.com – Useful for side-by-side comparisons of schools. It focuses heavily on state test score data, demographics, and spending per student, making it a good choice if you like to dig into numbers.

These sites are not sponsored by us in any way, and all are free to the public without requiring a subscription.

Additional Sources Worth Exploring

The three sites above are excellent starting points, but they aren’t the only options. Other reputable sources include:

State Departments of Education (for Connecticut, the Connecticut State Department of Education publishes accountability reports and district data)
U.S. News & World Report school rankings
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
Local parent-teacher associations and district websites

Using multiple sources will give you a broader, more accurate picture of a school or district.

Important Disclaimer

We share these resources strictly for informational purposes. Realtors are not permitted to steer clients toward or away from neighborhoods based on school quality, demographics, or similar factors, as doing so could violate Fair Housing laws. Our role is to connect you with the tools you need to make your own informed decision.

When considering a school district, we strongly recommend that buyers: