What Your Agent Can (and Can't) Answer

By Gwen Daubenmeyer

Gwen Daubenmeyer is the founder of our team. She brings an unwavering commitment to her clients and a get-it-done attitude. Gwen is unapologetically competitive. Marketing and negotiation are her Olympic events; if she could medal, she would. While winning is her “what,” her clients are her “why.”

Many buyers are surprised when they ask their real estate agent a question and hear, “I can’t answer that.” It can feel frustrating, but there’s an important reason behind it. Real estate agents follow strict legal and ethical rules about what we can and can’t say. Knowing the difference will help you get the information you need without crossing into areas that are off-limits.

What can your agent tell you? Agents can give you a lot of valuable insight when you’re buying or selling. For example, we can say to you:

• How much a home is worth
• How long has it been on the market
• Whether the price looks too high compared to similar homes nearby
• What red flags do we see that could affect resale value
• Guidance during inspections

We can also provide hyperlocal knowledge. If you want to know the commute time from Clarkston to downtown Detroit or which Oakland County neighborhoods have walkable downtowns, that’s all the information we can share.

What can’t your agent tell you? There are limits to what we can say because of fair housing laws. These rules protect equal access to housing, and they prevent agents from making comments that could be seen as discriminatory. That means we cannot:

• Comment on the racial makeup of a neighborhood
• Say if an area is “family-friendly” or “good for retirees”
• Tell you which neighborhoods are “safe”
• Rank or recommend the “best” school district

Even if these questions seem harmless, they fall under protected categories. What’s safe or best for one family may not be the same for another.

How do agents help instead? Just because we can’t answer directly doesn’t mean you’re left without support. We can point you to reliable resources like school rating websites, township maps, and public safety or crime data. This way, you still get the facts you need to make your own decision.

The questions you ask your real estate agent matter because some have clear answers, while others fall outside what the law allows us to say. Buyers and sellers need to understand the difference so they can get reliable information and avoid confusion. Always review the facts for yourself, use trusted public resources, and work with a professional team that knows how to guide you within the rules.

If you have any questions, feel free to call or text me at 248-850-2575 or email me at hey@theintegrityteam.com. I’m here to help.