Verify your School District Before you Buy a Home

There’s nothing worse than buying a home, a large part of that buying decision being the school district, to then find that you’re not in the school district you thought. (hopefully before you close)

It happens.

“School District” is one of the most important criteria identified by my buyer clients searching for homes – school districts matter. Better schools = higher home prices.

Bad data entry happens. To all of us.

Trust. Then Verify.

A client emailed me the other day about a new listing … great home, great location, great school district … just not the current great school district; it was marked as being in an adjacent school district, pre-redistricting.

So – Check your school district before you buy a home. Seriously.

I tell my clients that I trust the Charlottesville MLS about 83.875% of the time … it’s greatest flaw is that it’s run by humans, humans, many of whom don’t give a second thought to the value of accurate data.

Here’s what happens when a realtor in Charlottesville inputs a new listing into the MLS:

– Cloning is more efficient.

– Double-checking is not.

If a property last sold 7 years ago via the Charlottesville MLS, there’s a darn good chance that the school districts have shifted.

So:

– Search the MLS for homes by school district.

– Assume it’s accurate.

– Verify for your own self whether it is accurate.

– Check the website of the school system to verify whether your house is in X school district.

– Call the school system to verify. (take notes and names)

Proceed. 🙂