Is that a "White" neighborhood?

Last time I looked at the calendar it was 2010. We have an African-American President and I live in New York City. So I was astonished to have a potential buyer ask me if a listing I had, was in a "White" neighborhood?

I first asked the buyer to repeat the question as I thought I maybe misunderstood. But he repeated the question again as asked.

I responded that I could not answer that question and that he should not ask it. I found it a bit jarring, to say the least. When I did rentals almost a decade ago, I did have landlords ask me the ethnic background of a potential lessee on some occasions. I responded that I could not answer that question. I would inform my broker and we would not show the apartment (to her credit.)

I think we continue to grow as a City and a nation, learning more about each other as years pass. We are an amazingly diverse City and one of things that I cherish about New York and Brooklyn. Let's hope this process continues for most of us.