Population Diversity Question For Triangle Realtors

[saturnfan]

Now, if a prospective resident wanted this info on my apt community, they could ask me or another resident at the pool, etc.

We are very diverse in all respects and happy to help management by giving the data Fair Housing stops the office staff from supplying.

[geoff2v]

Originally Posted by VickiR

I think you are somewhat mis informed. How would I KNOW if the "house next door is gay owned"?

Do you honestly believe that each and every Realtor knows the make up of each and every neighborhood???

Vicki

You know, if you did, you could open up a dating/matchmaking service. Just a thought!

[suncat]

This is merely based on my personal observations, not actual data -- I've noticed that neighborhoods seem to have lifecycles. Generally people just starting their families like to buy houses in brand new subdivisions, where they can also be with other people in the same life stage as themselves. My parents did it in 1970, and I've noticed it around LA and Portland over the past 35 years.

My mom still lives in the house they bought back then, and she's surrounded by many people in their 70s, who've lived there since the tract was built. There's also a newer wave of couples in their 30s buying houses in that neighborhood, and starting families. There aren't a lot of teens.

I see lots of pre-teens and teens in neighborhoods built in the 80s and 90s, around Portland. My grandmother recently passed away at age 95, and she was the last one in her generation on her Pasadena block to die. She and my grandfather bought their house in the 40s. For the past 10 years, younger couples have been moving in and having babies. It follows the natural generational cycle of a neighborhood.

So based on that logic, and if I wanted to buy a house without lots of kids around, I'd look at some of the neighborhoods built in the 60s and 70s, maybe 80s. There would probably be a mixture of age groups. If you look at really old houses, those built in the 20s or 30s, you see lots of young couples moving in and having kids, here in Portland.

Demographics fascinate me, and I love observing this kind of stuff. Again, it's probably not rooted in hard data, and I don't know yet if this follows a similar pattern in the Triangle.

[VickiR]

Originally Posted by geoff2v

You know, if you did, you could open up a dating/matchmaking service. Just a thought!

And I betcha I'd be good at it too!

And now that I'm amused at geoff2v...just how much information does the average buyer think a Realtor has??? How do you think I would KNOW if people were gay? Lesbian? Living in sin? I am not psychic (nor am I psychotic). I thought I'd add that before someone else suggested it!!!

Vicki

[VickiR]

On a serious note...ANY laws that come about are usually because someone did something and someone in gov't. decided that we needed it explained what we can and can't do.

I'm sure most of you are aware that Fair Housing Laws exsist because someone was denied housing.

My company recently had folks from Fair Housing come to our meeting to discuss the laws and how they must be obeyed.

I disagreed about discussing children. Most of my client want neighborhoods with children so when they ask and I can't answer, it frustrates me, as well as them.

The Fair Housing Law was established FOR CHILDREN because it seemed that landlords did not want to rent to people with alot of kids. Therefore, Fair Housing made it ILLEGAL to even discuss children. Crazy, huh?!!

However, it is the law and I have alot of people that count on me so going to Realtor Jail isn't in my plans!!!

Vicki

[uncletupelo]

zip code stats are available on the web. In this area, the most expensive zip codes are going to be mostly white. That is just the way it is. The cheapest zip codes are going to be mostly minorities. The ones in the middle will most likely be the most diverse. 27608 has the highest median home price in the Triangle in 2008 with the median being 385k. Our zip code is around 90% white. That is neither good nor bad, just the fact.

[rnc2mbfl]

Originally Posted by VickiR

I think you are somewhat mis informed. How would I KNOW if the "house next door is gay owned"?

Do you honestly believe that each and every Realtor knows the make up of each and every neighborhood???

Vicki

Vicki,
I was just being provocative in my questioning. How might you know any of the characteristics of a specific neighbor? You most likely wouldn't. But, one (not you specifically) might know general characteristics or have opinions of such that the law doesn't allow you to share. But, if you accurately described the extent of the law, one can express prejudice or give guidance vis-a-vis gay issues without violating the law.
I just wanted to put the question to a professional (you) to highlight the sort of cultural discrimination that gay people must face or be subjected too daily that probably doesn't cross the minds of most people. I just saw the opportunity to hightlight it. So, while other characteristics of our lives are strictly monitored by the US government for fair housing and prevention of discrimination, being gay isn't. This sort of scenario plays out in our country systemically over and over and over.
In no way did I intend for my comments to be pesonal in nature...just hypothetical.

[VickiR]

Originally Posted by rnc2mbfl

Vicki,
I was just being provocative in my questioning. How might you know any of the characteristics of a specific neighbor? You most likely wouldn't. But, one (not you specifically) might know general characteristics or have opinions of such that the law doesn't allow you to share. But, if you accurately described the extent of the law, one can express prejudice or give guidance vis-a-vis gay issues without violating the law.
I just wanted to put the question to a professional (you) to highlight the sort of cultural discrimination that gay people must face or be subjected too daily that probably doesn't cross the minds of most people. I just saw the opportunity to hightlight it. So, while other characteristics of our lives are strictly monitored by the US government for fair housing and prevention of discrimination, being gay isn't. This sort of scenario plays out in our country systemically over and over and over.
In no way did I intend for my comments to be pesonal in nature...just hypothetical.

I never said that I agreed with all of Fair Housing but I do understand WHY it exsists. And because it is the LAW, I have no alternative but to obey it.

However, all joking aside, you might be surprised as to WHO asks certain questions and who doesn't!

Vicki

[rnc2mbfl]

Originally Posted by suncat

This is merely based on my personal observations, not actual data -- I've noticed that neighborhoods seem to have lifecycles. Generally people just starting their families like to buy houses in brand new subdivisions, where they can also be with other people in the same life stage as themselves. My parents did it in 1970, and I've noticed it around LA and Portland over the past 35 years.

My mom still lives in the house they bought back then, and she's surrounded by many people in their 70s, who've lived there since the tract was built. There's also a newer wave of couples in their 30s buying houses in that neighborhood, and starting families. There aren't a lot of teens.

I see lots of pre-teens and teens in neighborhoods built in the 80s and 90s, around Portland. My grandmother recently passed away at age 95, and she was the last one in her generation on her Pasadena block to die. She and my grandfather bought their house in the 40s. For the past 10 years, younger couples have been moving in and having babies. It follows the natural generational cycle of a neighborhood.

So based on that logic, and if I wanted to buy a house without lots of kids around, I'd look at some of the neighborhoods built in the 60s and 70s, maybe 80s. There would probably be a mixture of age groups. If you look at really old houses, those built in the 20s or 30s, you see lots of young couples moving in and having kids, here in Portland.

Demographics fascinate me, and I love observing this kind of stuff. Again, it's probably not rooted in hard data, and I don't know yet if this follows a similar pattern in the Triangle.

Suncat, I agree the demographics are fascinating. In fact, I am sort of a geek about them. Too much of mind space is filled with data that is fairly useless to me in my daily professional life. However, I do love it as you do.

That said, there's pretty good data out there that Americanse are sorting themselves like never before. Not only are we sorting ourselves politically (red areas get more red while blue areas get more blue), we sort by income through narrowly priced neighborhoods, by familial status, by culture etc. There's some pretty strong data out there to suggest it's happening this way and that our country becomes more polarized as time goes forward.

One of the terrific things about the Triangle is that, while it too is sorted via various "like me" attributes (just wait until you see Wake Co.'s Red/Blue precinct maps this November), it's truly a "purple" overall community of diverse ideas. And, time has shown us that the greatest societies are those where diversity of opinion is dealt with in a civil manner in pursuit of advancing society.

[rnc2mbfl]

Originally Posted by VickiR

I never said that I agreed with all of Fair Housing but I do understand WHY it exsists. And because it is the LAW, I have no alternative but to obey it.

However, all joking aside, you might be surprised as to WHO asks certain questions and who doesn't!

Vicki

Actually, nothing surprises me. I've been around that block many times.
In the end, people need to do their homework before working with a realtor. The Internet has provided a vast pool of information, both objective and subjective. And, it's not like there aren't millions of people out there ready to give their opinions on any question you might have!