Advertising Within the Limits of Fair Housing

According to federal fair housing law, advertising for the sale or rental of property may not state a preference for any person or an intention to exclude any person because of the person's race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.

To comply with the law in your advertising materials, avoid:

• Using words or phrases describing the dwelling, landlord, or tenants. Examples are: white private home, colored home, Jewish home, Hispanic residence, adult building, or other words indicative of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.
  
• Conveying preference to one group over another or exclusion due to race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status (children under 18), or national origin.
  
• Using catchwords, such as restricted, exclusive, private, integrated, traditional, board approval, and membership approval.
  
• Using symbols or logos that imply or suggest discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status (children under 18), and national origin.
  
• Writing out directions to the property that refer to well-known racial, ethnic, or religious landmarks, or to any other major landmark that could signal a preference for a specific type of person.
  
• Targeting advertisements to one particular segment of the community.
  
• Using only adult or white models over a significant period of time.
  
  Excerpted from “At Home With Diversity®” and the “International Real Estate for Local Markets” (formerly “Essentials of International Real Estate”) courses from the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. "International Real Estate for Local Markets” is the first of six international courses developed by NAR’s international section and is required to earn the Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) designation. “At Home with Diversity®” is a six-hour NAR certificate course that trains real estate professionals to incorporate cultural skills into their business to reach a growing, multicultural market. This entry-level program provides REALTORS® with continuing education credit and credit towards the Performance Management Network (PMN), Certified Residential Specialist (CRS®), and CIPS designations. To learn more about the “At Home With Diversity” course, click here. To learn more about the CIPS designation, click here.
  
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