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Board Approves Sexual-Orientation Protections

By
Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty | Northern Virginia | 703.635.0388 0225 189802

I have to commend NAR for giving publicity to a much "unprotected class" that exists among us:

The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®' Board of Directors, which met on Saturday at the tail end of the Midyear Meetings & Trade Expo in Washington, D.C., approved a rule that bans REALTORS® from denying equal professional services to a customer on the basis of sexual orientation.

The board amended Article 10 of the Code of Ethics, which addresses "duties to the public." That part of the Code already prohibits REALTORS® from discriminating against customers on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. Standard of Practice 10-3 was also amended to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in any advertisements for selling or renting property.

The change, met with applause, was passed unanimously by the Professional Standards Committee earlier in the week. The measure will now go before the NAR Delegate Body for approval at NAR's annual conference in November.

 

What is so disappointing (and heartbreaking if I can use that word in a professional setting) to me is that while deliberate denial of service is prohibited by our ethical code, unfortunately making a client feel uncomfortable isn't

I had the pleasure of serving the most wonderful couple recently, and learned over time that they had been through a number of agents because the agent couldn't accept or didn't agree with their lifestyle.  Needless to say I was all too happy to invest in our relationship, to help guide their decision making every step of the way so they could be in a place that increased the quality of their lives.

It is a privledge and not a right to have the opportunity to serve a client, and especially one who treats their real estate professional as a partner and not a salesperson

I can only hope over time our society gets on board in realizing that we are greater than ourselves, and diversity is something to be cherished, that enriches the soul.

 

 

Comments (5)

Sam White
College Station, TX
Integrated Marketing - Bryan College Station,

Congratulations for being so human and forward looking on this matter. Thank you NAR for passing the protections.

May 22, 2010 01:59 AM
David Obbee
Obbee.com - Agoura Hills, CA

Lisa: Very thoughtful post.  Attitudes evolve over time.  Hopefully the new ethics changes will have an impact on attitudes and- eventually- there won't be any discomfort at some point in the (near) future.  Thanks for sharing!

May 22, 2010 02:25 AM
Eric Kodner
Madeline Island Realty - La Pointe, WI
CRS, Madeline Island Realty, LaPointe, WI 54850 -

Lisa, thank you for posting this.  I'm a member of the NAR Equal Opportunity - Cultural Diversity Committee and I also serve on the Wisconsin Realtors Association Equal Opportunity in Housing Committee, where I introduced the proposed resolution you mentioned on March 6, 2007.

The National Association of Gay & Lesbian Real Estate Professionals (NAGLREP), along with former NAR President Dick Gaylord, played a key role in bringing this resolution first to Wisconsin, then to the National Association of Realtors.  NAGLREP has also maintained an ongoing presence within the Realtor community and NAR now has created a subcommittee within its Equal Opportunty committee which includes representatives of NAGLREP, YPN (Young Professionals Network), and a representative for the disabled community. 

 

May 22, 2010 09:19 AM
Connie Winstead
Nancy Puder & Associates - Arroyo Grande, CA
San Luis Obispo County CA Real Estate Agent

Good for NAR and good for you for posting this.  I sell real estate in California where there are probably more opportunities for working with same sexed couples than in the rest of the country. 
Thank you to Dick Gaylord and all who worked on adopting this humane policy.   Now if we can just get equal rights to marry.  Don't forget it was just 1920 before women could even VOTE !!!

I'm all for equal rights and equal treatment.  

May 23, 2010 09:25 AM
Lisa Moroniak
Keller Williams Realty | Northern Virginia | 703.635.0388 - Leesburg, VA
SFR - Short Sale & Foreclosure Certified

Thank you to all who took the time to post your own thoughts!

Eric, thank you for being a frontrunner in supporting such a culturally progressive cause.  I know it takes a village to make things happen in the US (and thank goodness we are able to do so) and in time we will truly all be viewed as one.

Have a GREAT week everyone!

May 24, 2010 02:21 AM