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Culture in Real Estate
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To prosper in today’s real estate markets REALTORS® need new skills for handling transactions that involve minority buyers or sellers. In this
section you will find helpful resources and information for you to learn about culture in the real estate industry.
Why is Racial and Ethnic Diversity the Hallmark of Today's Real Estate Market?
- The minority population in this country—African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, and Asians—has grown by 35 percent since 1990, a growth rate five times that of the U.S. population overall. By the year 2010, one-third of the American population will be minorities. (Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census)
- Minority buying power in the United States is estimated today to be $1.5 trillion. By the year 2007, it is expected to reach $2.3 trillion. The buying power of the Hispanic community alone will exceed $900 billion.
- Immigrants and ethnic/racial minorities from Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America represent a major growth segment of the housing market and, therefore, of the realty profession. Government and industry data indicate that two out of every three new households are being formed by foreign-born or minority persons. Foreign-born homeowners already account for $1.2 trillion in housing.
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| Fair Housing Information |
Equal Opportunity in Housing...
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 REALTOR® Fair Housing Program
The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® has developed a Fair Housing Program to provide resources and guidance to REALTORS® in ensuring equal professional services for all people. The term REALTOR® identifies a licensed professional in real estate who is a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Not all licensed real estate brokers and salespersons are members of the National Association, and only those who are may identify themselves as REALTORS®. They conduct their business and activities in accordance with a strict Code of Ethics.
The Code of Ethics
Article 10 of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® Code of Ethics provides that "REALTORS® shall not deny equal professional services to any person for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. REALTORS® shall not be a party to any plan or agreement to discriminate against a person or persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin REALTORS®, in their real estate employment practices, shall not discriminate against any person or persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin."
A REALTOR® pledges to conduct business in keeping with the spirit and letter of the Code of Ethics. Article 10 imposes obligations upon REALTORS® and is also a firm statement of support for equal opportunity in housing.
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.
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 calling HUD at 800.669.9777 (voice), or 800.927.9275 (TTY). Contact HUD on the internet at www.hud.gov/fhe/fheo.html .
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| Local Language Services |
G & A Interpreters & Trnsltrs
2122 S Grand Ave Ste C
Santa Ana, CA 92705
Phone: (714) 556-1227
RG Interpreting Service
1941 Sierra Vista Dr
Tustin, CA 92780
Phone: (714) 838-0388
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| Online Language Services |
American Translators Association: www.atanet.org
Applied Language Solutions: www.appliedlanguage.com
Foreign Translations - www.foreigntranslations.com
Google Language Tools: www.google.com/language_tools
Professional Interpreting, LLC: www.professionalinterpreting.com
PROMPT Online: translation2.paralink.com
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| Cultural Links |
Asian Real Estate Association of America: www.areaa.org
Diversity Hotwire: www.diversityhotwire.com
DiversityInc.Com: www.diversityinc.com
Housing Urban Development’s Spanish Website: espanol.hud.gov
Minority Business Development Agency: www.mbda.gov
N.A.R. Field Guide to Diversity for REALTORS®: www.realtor.org
N.A.R Field Guide to Fair Housing: www.realtor.org
Organization of Chinese Americans: www.ocanatl.org
The Congressional Black Caucus: www.cbcfonline.org
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus: www.chci.org
The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights: www.civilrights.org
The National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals: www.nahrep.org
The National Association of Real Estate Brokers: www.nareb.com
The National Coalition for
Asian Pacific American Community Development: www.nationalcapacd.org
The National Council of La Raza: www.nclr.org
The National Urban League: www.nul.org
Tolerance.org: www.tolerance.org
U.S. Census Bureau: www.census.gov
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| REALTOR® Code of Ethics Translations |
The single most outstanding characteristic that sets REALTORS® apart from other real estate practitioners is their willingness to
voluntarily accept and abide by a Code of Ethics that governs their business behavior. This Code is stricter than even state law in many
instances and is responsive to changes in the industry, law and accepted business practices. As a result of the Code's influence, the term,
REALTOR®, has come to stand for competency, fairness and integrity.
Download the 2007 Code of Ethics in the following languages:
(Selecting a link will open a pdf in a new window)
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