Fair Housing and Ethics Flashcards

A buyer asks their agent whether a neighborhood has 'many families like us.' The agent's best response is to:

Answer: Refer the buyer to publicly available resources and avoid making demographic characterizations

Agents should avoid making demographic characterizations about neighborhoods and instead direct buyers to public resources like census data or local agencies.

Which of the following is a permissible reason for a landlord to deny a rental application?

Answer: The applicant has poor credit history and prior evictions

Landlords may lawfully deny applicants based on legitimate financial criteria such as poor credit or eviction history.

Under the Fair Housing Act, a 'reasonable modification' is best described as:

Answer: A physical change to the unit made by the tenant with disabilities at their own expense

Tenants with disabilities may make reasonable modifications to their unit at their own expense, and in most private housing the landlord cannot be required to pay.

A real estate licensee discovers a colleague is engaging in discriminatory practices. Under NAR's Code of Ethics, the licensee should:

Answer: Report the conduct to the appropriate board or association

NAR's Code of Ethics (Article 16 and general ethics obligations) encourages members to report known violations through proper association channels.

Which act extended fair housing protections specifically to persons with disabilities and families with children?

Answer: Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988

The Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 added disability (handicap) and familial status as protected classes under the FHA.

A listing agent learns that their seller is HIV-positive. Under fair housing and confidentiality principles, the agent should:

Answer: Keep the seller's medical status confidential and not disclose it

A seller's HIV status is not a material fact requiring disclosure, and revealing it could constitute disability discrimination under the FHA.

An agent who represents both the buyer and seller in the same transaction without full disclosure and informed consent of both parties is guilty of:

Answer: Undisclosed dual agency

Undisclosed dual agency occurs when an agent represents both sides of a transaction without informing and obtaining consent from both parties.