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Pulse is a recurring column where we ask for readers’ takes on varying topics in a weekly survey and report back with our findings.
Challenges to fair housing can come from all sides, from a lack of training to a lack of regulatory compliance to discriminatory personal views. It’s not just about where someone lives or the value of their property — fair housing has implications for education, health, upward mobility and building generational wealth.
As a Realtor, we know you’ve seen some things, and you’ve probably formed your own ideas, so we asked what one thing would instantly improve fair housing outcomes from your perspective. Do agents need more training? Do clients need yet another disclosure? Are fair housing challenges more systemic or more personal, and how can they be effectively addressed? Here are your thoughts:
- Get more minorities licensed as real estate agents. A minority family relates more easily to someone like themselves.
- Get rid of pocket listings so people of other races, religions, etc., can know about all properties for sale.
- From my perspective as a Realtor, the one thing that would go the furthest in improving fair housing compliance is consistent education combined with real accountability at every level of the industry. Many violations aren’t always born out of malice but out of ignorance, assumptions or outdated practices that were never corrected. It’s not enough to take a fair housing course once and move on. Regular, scenario-based training that addresses unconscious bias, modern-day discriminatory loopholes, and evolving neighborhood dynamics could make a real difference. But education without accountability is just lip service. There needs to be transparent systems in place for reporting, auditing and corrective action. When education and accountability walk hand in hand, true compliance — and equity — can finally become the standard, not the exception.
- Fair housing has been the law since the seventies, and any agent who discriminates has been subject to lawsuits and penalties for decades. Now we can’t even say “master bedroom” or “kid-friendly neighborhood” or any number of phrases so nobody gets offended. So sick of NAR and their “woke” ideology. We’re just setting ourselves up for more lawsuits.
- We should think about our words and be more professional and respectful.
- Awareness. Compass agents (and the brokerages Corcoran and Douglas Elliman that announced recently they would start keeping listings off-market in a private exclusive database) are probably just unaware of how damaging fair housing violations are and what an ugly history this industry has on this issue. In 2021, before I joined eXp, I was at Compass San Francisco. And during that first year of COVID lockdown, I developed a documentary film series that is composed of 10 films. Each has its own message about housing discrimination. In light of the fact that diversity, equity and inclusion is now being erased and expelled from so many institutions and workplaces, it may be a good time for NAR or some other entity to take fair housing education to a new level of awareness.
- Elect a different president
- One idea: Stop the rental increases on renters whose incomes are not increasing. You prequalified them at one rate based on income; stay in that window. Also, for mortgage, same thing. You approved at one rate; remain at that rate of payment. If taxes increase, homeowners should be allowed to settle that on their own accord with a monthly increase to the agreed mortgage amount at closing.
Editor’s note: These responses were given anonymously and, therefore, are not attributed to anyone specifically. Responses were also edited for grammar and clarity. Inman doesn’t endorse any specific method and regulations may vary from state to state.
What did we miss? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
