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Four tactics for overcoming bias and discrimination in real estate transactions
The tenants of the Fair Housing Act are clear and direct. Realtors®, brokerages, banks, homeowners, and other entities can’t make housing unavailable to people based on their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability. The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) supports the law by vigorously enforcing a related standard for professional conduct spelled out in Article 10 of the Code of Ethics.

Yet despite these well-defined “rules of the road,” discrimination continues across the housing industry. For Realtors® and brokers who want to up their game, and become leaders for advocacy and change, here are some helpful tools and resources.

Join an implicit bias workshop

Although most Realtors® strive to be fair and do their best for every client, it can be difficult to overcome implicit biases—the brain’s automatic association of stereotypes or attitudes with particular groups.

“As real estate agents, you’re often told what not to say, but you don’t necessarily know what to say,” noted Rachel Godsil, professor of law at Rutgers Law School, and co-founder and co-director of the Perception Institute, a consortium of researchers and content experts who use findings from psychology and cognitive neuroscience to help business professionals treat clients from diverse backgrounds fairly. “Biases can lead us to treat people differently based on their identity, leading to discrimination, without our even knowing it.”

Take a (virtual) trip to Fairhaven 

Keep up with Fair Housing issues on social media 

Like every other aspect of real estate, issues related to Fair Housing are always evolving and changing. On the Facebook group, Deliberately Fair Housing, you’ll find a range of enlightening perspectives from a diverse range of real estate professionals. Exploring topics like equity lending, Black homeownership, Fair Housing policies and practices, the forum encourages discussion and provides a place to share and field ideas. There is also a book club where you can participate in lively discussions of important titles like Caste: The Origin of Our Discontents and Race for Profit: How Banks and the Real Estate Industry Undermined Black Homeownership.  

To join Deliberately Fair Housing, simply answer the real-estate related question posted on the group’s member page. You can also view a series of moderated group discussions on their YouTube channel. 

Get certified in diversity 

As Minnesota’s demographics change, so do the needs of your prospective clients. NAR’s At Home with Diversity (AHWD) certification program gives you the skills and insights to bridge cultural barriers and deliver top-tier services for your diverse clientele. The one-day course can be taken in-person or online.