Real Estate News
The National Association of REALTORS® is continuing its consumer education campaign, this time with a primer on fair housing.
"Discrimination hurts all sides of a home transaction," NAR states in the one-page guide, adding that both consumers and agents "depend on strong fair housing laws and practices for our communities and economy to thrive."
Whether or not a buyer is a member of a federally defined protected class, they should receive the same level of service from their agent — and from all parties with a stake in the transaction, including "the seller, the seller's agent, appraisers, lenders, and others involved in your home search and purchase."
NAR also nods to race-based steering — an issue the real estate and lending industries have reckoned with in recent years — noting that buyers "should also expect your agent to provide you with home options in your price range regardless of the racial or ethnic composition of neighborhoods."
Don't discriminate against a buyer based on their protected class, NAR clearly states, and warns sellers not to "instruct your agent to conduct a sale any differently" depending on the buyer's race, sex or other characteristics, or "advertise your home to just one or to a limited number of groups."
Agents must follow the law, and they also must abide by the REALTOR® Code of Ethics, NAR explains. That means they are obligated to "provide equal professional services to all consumers" and "must not discuss the demographic composition of a neighborhood, advertise a property in a way that indicates any preference, limitations, or discrimination for a prohibited reason."