Just a heads up, Realtor.com has removed crime data from its website, and Redfin has decided not to add it out of concerns that it could perpetuate racial inequity. David Doctorow, the CEO of Realtor.com, said in a company update this week that the crime map layer has been removed from all search results on the website “to rethink the safety information we share on Realtor.com and how we can best integrate it as part of a consumer’s home search experience.”  All agents should, as always, be careful when talking about property and neighborhood attributes.

All discussions about crime can be misconstrued as illegal steering and many Realtors are telling clients honestly that they are unable to answer questions about crime due to fair housing concerns. REALTORS can assist clients by providing legitimate community resources but as the US Department of Housing and Urban Development says “where you live is your choice, don’t let anyone tell you differently.”