"Neighborhoods are very important, but Realtors have to walk a fine line so that we make sure to comply with fair housing laws," said Chuck Nunnally with Alain Pinel Realtors in Los Gatos. "What one usually does is look for an area they can afford, has good schools and is nice-looking."

Nunnally guesses most people shy away from neighborhoods when they see certain activities that don't reflect their lifestyle. Certain buyers might not like a neighborhood where cars are being worked on in driveways or are parked on front lawns, while other buyers might not care.

"Once a customer sees a home they like I will advise they come by the home at various times of the day—morning, evening, after school—to see what kind of traffic and activity is in the area," Nunnally said. "If they want an area with kids, I tell them to ask around themselves and check out the weekends."

Nunnally also cautions his buyers that there is never a guarantee about whether kids that might be the same age as theirs will stay in the neighborhood or might move out at some point.

"The value Realtors bring to the table is if the home, area and neighborhood in question has been a good investment over the years," said Nunnally. "I would say most of the communities in the valley have good and marginal neighborhoods."

A seasoned agent would know a good area from one that may be on a lesser footing as to desirability, but Nunnally said Realtors need to be very careful not to discriminate.

"You look in areas according to the pocketbook of the customer. Then they have to decide if they want to live there. Schools and their scores do drive a lot of neighborhoods. Sometimes the areas that have some ugly homes are good investment neighborhoods. Having sold homes from the Seven Trees subdivision to Los Altos Hills, I can tell you that there is a seat for everyone," said Nunnally.

Susan Sweeley with Alain Pinel Realtors in Los Altos believes in the old adage of location, location, location." For example, the professional couple might like a downtown where you can walk to restaurants. However, that popular downtown location might not be good for families because the schools might not be rated highly."

"Also, there are neighborhoods with school districts that are different on one side of the street than the other, so Realtors need to be aware of those factors," Sweeley said. "Bottom line, Realtors absolutely need to know the neighborhoods to describe them to their clients. However, the Realtor needs to let the clients decide which one is best for them. One neighborhood might be great for one person and not so great for another."

According to Jeff Barnett with Alain Pinel Realtors in Los Gatos, price is often the determining factor, and neighborhoods often reflect the price consideration. In addition, each neighborhood is distinctive in its own way. In Los Gatos, for instance, the Almond Grove neighborhood is known for a short walk to town, while the Glenn Ridge neighborhood is known for its beautiful views and old, stately Victorians. Other neighborhoods are known for their large lots or the easy walk to school.

Realtor Helen Cockrum believes other things are important, including "school districts and closeness of schools, the condition of the home, proximity to busy streets, airplane noise, electric power towers, shopping, proximity to a downtown area, distance to freeways, square footage, number of baths and lot size."

The role of the professional Realtor is to assist clients in meeting their needs and desires as they relate to the transaction and to help guide buyers through the process. However, Realtors must be careful not to direct a buyer to a particular neighborhood for any reasons that could be considered discriminatory.

"It's totally up to the prospective client to decide which house they want and whether they like the neighborhood," said Realtor David Zigal. "When I have a client, I pull all the listings with their specific request, such as location by city and number of bedrooms, and then show them all the properties available."

Neighborhoods are extremely important, but Realtor Dale Klippel of Prudential California said he does not try to fit the buyer with the neighborhood but rather to the house with all the things they want in a home.

"Location comes into play here. If the buyer is interested in having quick access to the freeways, I look for that home. If schools come into play, then I try to meet that demand. If a zip code is the issue, then we work strictly within that zip code area for something. If several of these items are issues, but price is the main issue, then we concentrate on price first, then work down the ladder on the other issues," said Klippel.

Klippel believes that one of the outstanding values Realtors offer is an overall community knowledge and the ability to help clients make an informed decision on the best buy.

When it comes to choosing a neighborhood or the best location for a home, the ultimate choice is up to the buyer. Working with a knowledgeable Realtor who knows the local community can help potential buyers find the best home to meet their needs.