From the WTF, I can’t believe it and you wouldn’t either if you didn’t see it for yourself BS crap that the National Association of Realtors is perpetrating. If you had reason to mistrust a Realtor before, then your fears are going to be underscored by what you are about to hear.
I get emails, comments, and calls constantly from Buyers and Investors who are just beside themselves from the insanity plaguing the real estate industry. You can read hundreds of comments here about Realtors outright lying to customers.
Now, I’m sure we’re bound to get a bunch of emails from chest thumbing NAR lifers who want to set me straight and there is even a chance I’ll get another call from the National Association Of Realtors legal counsel. (I so love debating with him…he’s actually a nice guy)
But before you want to explain things to me, make sure you read the excerpt below that many are heralding as a symbol of the power of the Rain. (I couldn’t resist…yes, some on ActiveRain are actually taking credit for this bullshit)
Yet no one seems to want to do anything about it. So just when you think it can’t get any worse file, check out what the National Association of Realtors Board Of Directors has ratified an amendment to be placed in their updated code of ethics:
Standard of Practice 10-1REALTORS shall not volunteer information regarding the racial, religious or ethnic composition of any neighborhood and shall not engage in any activity which may result in panic selling. REALTORS shall not print, display or circulate any statement or advertisement with respect to the selling or renting of a property that indicates any preference, limitations or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.
Now I do understand that there is racism and bias in this Country…truly I do understand, but you’re telling me that if I see a house for sale and I call for information, and if they ever pick up the phone and I ask… “Hey Susie, can you please tell me the demographic make up of homeowners in the Pleasant Valley Cove neighborhood“, Susie would have to tell me no?
Are you kidding me? You’re saying to me, go find out yourself, do a drive by, check the freely published census information…do whatever you have to do but don’t ask the person who is actually selling the house…are you serious…really?
I live in a very diverse area here in South Florida. It is home to a veritable melting pot of ethnic groups. And it costs a pretty penny to live in paradise by the beach. But here in paradise you had better be very tolerant or ya just might end up feeling a bit uncomfortable.
Let’s say you’re looking online and you see this gorgeous house in Wilton Manors. You call an agent and you tell them you like the way the house looks. You say that you have 3 small children and you’re looking for a quiet, conservative, family based area. “Susie, would Wilton Manors be that type of area“.
Well Susie, based upon the new NAR guidelines would have to either pretend she didn’t hear the question or she would have to flat out lie to you. And that’s just okay with the NAR. That’s bullshit! That doesn’t avoid steering and discrimination…it makes it worse!
The City Of Wilton Manors, on its own website says what Susie is prohibited to say. “Diversity is the strength of Wilton Manors. Children from many different ethnic backgrounds attend Wilton Manors Elementary School; the City’s Police Department employs African-American, Haitian, and Hispanic officers; and the City Commission includes openly gay elected officials.
For those of you who don’t know, Wilton Manors is an extremely gay friendly town and is known worldwide for its predominantly gay population. And let me be the first to say that it’s a lovely town and I own rental property in Wilton Manors and I absolutely love the restaurants and the community is top notch!
Yet, the NAR now would prohibit a Realtor from telling you that. So instead, if you are troubled by being around Gays and Lesbians you wouldn’t know, would need to make an appointment, bring the hubby and kids down and possibly be put in a very uncomfortable situation which could have easily been avoided by answering one simple question in an honest an open manner.
The City of Wilton Manors is proud and rightly so of its community. To bad the National Association of Realtors isn’t and shame on real estate agents who support this crap and do nothing to help their image with the general public.
It’s also fair housing laws as well that keep us from being able to speak that freely. I’m not taking up for NAR at all, just wanted to add that there are laws against it. I took an ethics class and the instructor said we weren’t allowed to tell people that there are kids in the neighborhood because they are a protected class. That’s B.S in my book!
Hi Pam..and thanks for stopping by and your comment. Yes…it’s absolutely ridiculous. Realtors are supposed to be the experts in a market and this kind of stuff makes them look ill-prepared and basically lacking the knowledge that a professional should have.
Hi Barry,
While I share your disagreement with the policy, perhaps you ought to study the difference between lying and refusing to volunteer information…I think you’ve gone a little off the deep end with your accusations.
Hi Lawrence…thanks for your comment and thanks for stopping by. You must not have understood. I didn’t say anything about the volunteering of information. I was quite direct. I was referring to a direct question. Perhaps you may need to re-read the post above.
If I asked my daughter if she broke a vase and she told me she couldn’t or wouldn’t tell me…then there would obviously be a problem. Where I was raised, withholding information is the same as lying. But hey, you may be right, it may not be for me to judge. We’ll let buyers decide. When they ask an agent about the demographics of a neighborhood and they are told they can’t tell them the answer…do you think they will keep their prospect?
I know if I was buying a home and asked the “professional” and they declined to answer me, they wouldn’t get any more calls from me. But hey, perhaps there are lost of homeowners out there who find it ok for agents to “refuse” to answer questions.
First off, it is the Federal Government Fair Housing Laws that prevent us from talking about a protected class; we are just being warned to follow the law. You are barking up the wrong tree. Call the Feds. I do agree that if we have an answer to their question, we should provide it; but that is prohibited by a Federal Law. Calling this lying is a stretch-jounalistic sensationalism to stir controversy and generate debate. Should we hold you to the same criteria? Tell the whole truth, not just the part that may get you some notariety.
Hi Chip…thanks for your comment.
I love when people start comments with “First off”…lets me know that I’m really in for it.
I realize that you may just be a Realtor and may not be a lawyer, but I assume that you can read. Could you please quote the specific statute or part of the code that states that a Realtor can not provide any information relative to the demographics of a neighborhood when so asked by a prospect?
I’l wait…please post your response when you have the info. If I am wrong, I’ll surely post a retraction that says the Realtors are not allowed to provide demographic information when asked.
However, if you are not able to provide a statute or LAW that specifically says so…then my allegation stands. Like I told somebody yesterday, this article wasn’t written for Realtors. It was written for Investors and Homebuyers who have to deal with their bullshit! (and this does not pertain to all Realtors…just the slackpuppies out there like you who don’t know what you’re talking about)
You see, we did speak to the Feds. We asked them if the information that THEY provide is discriminatory in nature. You see the Feds actually provide most of the demographic information. It’s called a Census pinhead!
But hey, I’m a big boy…prove me wrong.