1. Educate yourself about fair housing laws and explain what they mean in the transaction.

2. Treat all prospective buyers in substantially the same way. Use the same approach and manner to greet people, show homes, qualify prospects, conduct open houses, present purchase offers, keep records, and follow up with prospects.

3. Use forms or checklists to standardize the questions you ask and the information you request from prospective buyers.

4. Market your property to a diverse group of prospective buyers. Avoid using exclusionary words or pictures. Any marketing plan that indicates a preference or limitation or discriminates on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin violates the Fair Housing Act.

5. Allow prospective buyers to select their own preferred neighborhoods. Never “steer” prospects toward or away from any neighborhood, however subtly. Offer every prospect a variety of housing choices.

6. Contact local fair housing organizations and REALTOR® associations for information about fair housing compliance and compliance self-testing. Fair housing guidance is posted online at NAR's Library, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and The National Fair Housing Advocate.

7. Be vocal and proactive in expressing your own personal commitment to fair housing.

8. Include a statement in your advertising stating that your company doesn’t discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, handicap, or familial status. A statement isn’t absolute protection against liability for noncompliance, but it can be used as evidence of your company’s commitment to fair housing.

TIP: You can’t control the prejudices of others, but discriminating in any way, even at the request of a seller, is illegal. If a seller wants you to discriminate, walk away from the transaction.

The sale and purchase of a home is one of the most significant events that any person will experience in his or her lifetime. It is more that the simple purchase of housing, for it includes the hopes, dreams, aspirations, and economic destiny of those involved.

THE LAW

Civil Rights Act of 1866
The Civil Rights Act of 1866 prohibits all racial discrimination in the sale or rental of property.

Fair Housing Act
The Fair Housing Act declares a national policy of fair housing throughout the United States. The law makes illegal any discrimination in the sale, lease or rental of housing, or making housing otherwise unavailable, because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.

Americans with Disabilities Act
Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities in places of public accommodations and commercial facilities.

Equal Credit Opportunity Act
The Equal Credit Opportunity Act makes discrimination unlawful with respect to any aspect of a credit application on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age or because all or part of the applicant's income derives from any public assistance program..

State and Local Laws
State and local laws often provide broader coverage and prohibit discrimination based on additional classes not covered by federal law.

THE RESPONSIBILITIES
The home seller, the home seeker, and the real estate professional all have rights and responsibilities under the law.

For the Home Seller
As a home seller or landlord you have a responsibility and a requirement under the law not to discriminate in the sale, rental and financing of property on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. You cannot instruct the licensed broker or salesperson acting as your agent to convey for you any limitations in the sale or rental because the real estate professional is also bound by law not to discriminate. Under the law, a home seller or landlord cannot establish discriminatory terms or conditions in the purchase or rental; deny that housing is available, or advertise that the property is available only to persons of a certain race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.

For the Home Seeker
You have the right to expect that housing will be available to you without discrimination or other limitations based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.
This includes the right to expect:

* housing in your price range made available to you without discrimination
* equal professional service
* the opportunity to consider a broad range of housing choices
* no discriminatory limitations on communities or locations of housing
* no discrimination in the financing, appraising, or insuring of housing
* reasonable accommodations in rules, practices and procedures for persons with disabilities
* non-discriminatory terms and conditions for the sale, rental, financing, or insuring of a dwelling
* to be free from harassment or intimidation for exercising your fair housing rights.

For the Real Estate Professional
Agents in a real estate transaction are prohibited by law from discriminating on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. A request from the home seller or landlord to act in a discriminatory manner in the sale, lease or rental cannot legally be fulfilled by the real estate professional.

THE REALTOR® FAIR HOUSING PROGRAM

If You Suspect Discrimination

Call the Local Board of REALTORS®
Local Boards of REALTORS® will accept complaints alleging violations of the Code of Ethics filed by a home seeker who alleges discriminatory treatment in the availability, purchase or rental of housing. Local Boards of REALTORS® have a responsibility to enforce the Code of Ethics through professional standards procedures and corrective action in cases where a violation of the Code of Ethics is proven to have occurred.

Call the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Complaints alleging discrimination in housing may be filed with the nearest office of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) or by by contacting them at http://www.hud.gov.