How do you determine which school district your listing is located? Do you figure the a home is located in a particular political subdivision and the school district also located in that political subdivision is the one you identify in MLS? Do you ask your sellers what school district their home is located in? Or do you use some other method?
Many people assume that the school their children will attend is the one located in the political subdivision they reside. This is a common error because school districts (at least in Ohio) are considered separate political subdivision and have their own boundaries. Sometimes the school district's boundaries are the same as the political subdivision in which they are located; at other times they are not.
You would think your sellers would know what school district they are a part of; but, on the other hand, they might not. Their children may not have attended the local public school; they may have attended private schools, charter schools, etc.
Why is it important to accurately identify the public school where a home is located?
Actually, it's very important if a family based their decision to buy based on the school district they want to enroll their children.
Have you ever known anyone who purchased a home and relied on school district information placed in MLS? Have you ever known anyone who purchased a home in a political subdivision only to find that their home is located in a school district other than what was listed in MLS? Can you imagine how they would react to this revelation?
How to avoid school district boundary issues:
The best way to avoid problems of this nature is to verify your school information and document who you spoke with and what they told you.
Call the school district; but just don't call anyone! The best source to contact in any school district if you want to be sure that an address is within a particular school district is the "transportation department." The transportation department works on school boundary issues on a regular basis; they can tell you that 108 Elm St. is in their district and that 110 Elm St. is not.
Building secretaries and the Superintendent's secretary are wonderful people. However, they work on a variety of matters on a daily basis and generally are not completely familiar with district boundaries. Go directly to the people who know; the transportation department.
As agents we are responsible for the accuracy of information in MLS.
If you are a buyer, take time to verify information before you buy!
Jon Wnoroski, Summit County Realtor — Visit Jon's Web Site
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Our school districts have web sites that determine the school for each house. I always check before I enter it into a listing.