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REALTOR® caught on tape...in the 'ACT' of DISCRIMINATION!

In my year at ActiveRain, I've used video extensively to accompany or compliment my posts. NOT once have I posted a video without an explanation. I believe this video speaks for itself and says it ALL!!!

Written and Posted by:

Elizabeth Nieves - Broker, REALTOR® -- The Elizabeth Nieves Realty Group @ Keller Williams (A Bilingual Real Estate Team serving Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill NC and surrounding areas.)

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Posted by Elizabeth Nieves - Bilingual Raleigh - Durham North Carolina Real Estate Team on 09/13/2008 08:34 PM

Comments (58)

Fair Housing and Antidiscrimination Laws in the ActiveRain Channel

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Originally posted at: Raleigh - Durham...A Real N.C. Girl's Perspective: REALTOR® caught on tape...in the 'ACT' of DISCRIMINATION!

Post is included in group: The Lounge at Active Rain
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58 Comments on REALTOR® caught on tape...in the 'ACT' of DISCRIMINATION!

SEP

2008

Elizabeth, thank you for posting this video.

Elizabeth: I sat with my eyes wide open and my CHIN ON THE FLOOR! Can you imagine?

OK, I was trying to be first but, didn't make it! So, I'll continue... ;0)

I cannot imagine, first of all saying what she did, THEN in her interview DENYING what she did! OMG! The second agent who they interviewed did hit a point that we still do get those questions but, you simply cannot allow your buyers to go there.

Then, for her to have a previous charge of steering just makes you crazy--why didn't she learn from her mistake the first time? UGH!

I am sorry that she died and I certainly do hope that she is more at peace right now--can you imagine living a life of such 'hatred' of others?

Totally floored with that video. Unreal.

That is just sad. Sorry to say I use to live in Columbia. It is hard to believe but, I am sure this happens more then we hear about unfortunately.

That is absolutely shocking video - I am speechless as to that agents conduct and comments I heard. (I had to watch the video twice after reading Debi's comment - I thought it was over when I saw the comments would be posted.) I am still shocked at the discriminatory conduct on that tape.... Thank you for posting...

Wow! Hidden cameras are great. I can't believe she said that stuff.

Hi Elizabeth, WoW Can you imagine? I am floored. I hope this post is a feature so Everyone willsee this video. And you are right what else can you say the video says it all. Thanks for the post. I would have hope that something like this would never have happened ...but ...there it is plain as can be. You just wonder how long this has been going on before she got caught. It is sad really sad

Unbelievable, what more can one say? I've flagged this for a feature. Thanks for sharing it with us.

I am shocked, how could a REALTOR even say those things.

Elizabeth: I featured this in the 'Dedicated Bloggers' group--EVERYONE needs to watch this horrifying video! Thank you so much for sharing!

We don't like to admit it, but we still have a long way to go! The legal scan indicates that fair housing is one of the most problematic areas.

Elizabeth, I'm at a loss for words....and very, very sorry that this still goes on. I would have thought predudice would be so far removed from our world, especially in housing. Makes you wonder how many others might be doing this :(

Evening Elizabeth, Camera technology is now so advanced that any of us could be caught on tape. Better take this lesson to heart !

Wow. I don't even know what else to say. The ignorance and stupidity wrapped up in this are just amazing. On every level this agent seems to be failing lifes intelligence tests!

Holy Shmoly!!!!! Just a little too sure of herself....

What a sad commentary! She's been patroling that building for quite awhile now "making sure she meets all the agents", that home owners association should be held accountable as well. Well, on the positive side, it was nice to hear she turned in her license!

Hi Elizabeth, it's sad to be confronted with evidence like this that prejudice is alive and well in our profession in this day and age. I pray that this is a one in a million situation.

Hi Everyone:

I KNEW that this video would have the same impact on you guys that it had on me. IT IS JUST UNBELIEVABLE! Like Larry said...you KNOW it happens more than anyone can comprehend.

There are two moments on this video that I find particularly unbelievable:

STOP RACISM!

1. There is a moment when she is showing the condo that she pauses...and says..."I'm talking too much." I find it amazing that she said that...then just kept on talking. It is obvious that she felt that she was above the law. I also believe that her hatred was so deeply rooted in her that she felt entitled to 'filter' the buyers.

2. In her interview with the news reporter, she firmly denies that the building discriminates AFTER proudly proclaiming that it is NOT a mixed neighborhood. It just makes my blood boil.

Wow!!! That's terrible...she got away with it that long. I am shocked people still act like that. GBU

Elizabeth, WOW. I cannot believe what I saw and heard on the video. I'm very glad to hear that this agent has 'retired'.

SEP

2008

Elizabeth - Wow!!....Talk about getting caught with your hand in the cookie jar. I applaud the TV station for their investigation and you for making this available to show how that this type of racism is taking place.

amazing - and so nice to see how this turns out - love the fact that they did not leave us hanging - thanks for sharing

Eli - I will refer to this as "generational bigotry" in the way she so graciously thought she was protecting the neighborhood so as not to let "those types" in. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR (*that was sarcasm - just in case it didn't come across correctly!)

I am afraid that if I took a client to look at a property and the likes of this woman were to appear and start making those types of remarks I would have to embarrass her greatly - right there in front of God and everybody.

The saddest part is ... she actually believed she was doing something good. It's scary to think that there are still some that are practicing our profession that will act like that. I sure hope I don't run aross any. I might be forced to show my behind just a bit. Can you believe it?

Yyeeeeoooowwww - I'm fired up now!

That is just the saddest thing I have ever seen. Her License should be pulled and fined heavily!

I have never seen a worse case that that video...

Elizabeth, this was so sad, I guess I forget it happens. Good thing she resigned as she is in Big trouble as she should be. This gives all of us who practise the Code of Ethics and Fair Housing Laws a bad name. It is a sad day, I may use this on my outside blog for folks in Ann Arbor. There is NO gray area, here.

Elizabeth, As bad as that video is I'm sure that stuff goes on everyday through out the country. It disgust me. I also thought the HUD guy was pretty week when he said "it gives him pause" and "it might be a violation". This guy needs to grow a pair!!! There are no grey areas with this lady's conduct. Her license needs to be revoked

I teach the real estate licensing courses here in Schuylkill County, at Penn State. I am going to show my class this video!

It is intolerable that this still goes on. The good <or bad> of a person is not gaged by the color of their skin, their religious affiliation, or any thing other than their behavior. One top of the personal prejudices this woman caries inside of her she is violating the law. I am speechless and that does not happen too often.

Elizabeth,

They say that a picture is worth a 1000 words. A video leaves you absolutely speechless!!

Incredible and speechless is the way I feel. Not in this day and age, but...here it is.

Elizabeth - Wow. I am floored by this one, especially in this day and age. This video looks like something that could have been filmed 40+ years ago.

Such a sad video to watch. There is just no excuse for even thinking her way. May each who do get caught as well.

Oh MY! She knew she was wrong she JUST COULD NOT STOP HERSELF. She needed to get out of the business anyway.

My mouth is still hanging wide open. I'm just completely bumfuddled.

Tammy

This kind of thing happens all the time. My last incident was with the sellers, who saw me bring my client through the property, and told their agent they would never sell to my client (and upped the price when we brought in an offer).

This is very sad, but it does happen way too often. There must be more education and Realtors cannot be allowed to get away with it. it's our responsibility to turn our 'friends' in, if we are aware that they are behaving this way - if we do nothing, we are no better than them.

Yes, this stuff does go on all the time, just as the various people saying they don't do it. Biogotary is alive and well in this Country.....and as Sylvie just said...if we don't turn in the people that we know that do this, we are no better than they are.

Oh My Gosh! I'm in shock and am very saddended that somebody in our industry was behaving in such a way. For once she needed to learn that "I" is something she needed to focus on in her life and spend more time talking about~INTEGRITY- INTELLIGENCE-IMPORTANCE~

Elizabeth, I've seen that video in a real estate class. Incredible isn't it. Being from Columbia, I'd like to have all of the market that she seemed to have cornered. This was all a while back (couple years?). I'll try to see if she's still licensed sometime when I get on our MLS tomorrow, and get the rest of the story. I really didn't hear such a fuss when this all happened, but might have just missed it.

Elizabeth, there is no room in society for racism. Hard to fathom!!!

It completely violates Fair Housing law. Is this woman not trained??

Elizabeth,

Well dear there is no cure for STUPID. Can't train, explain or school that type of STUPID person. Sounds like what was heard in the south in the 60's. On a positive note, I'm looking forward 4 generations, when we are so mixed that no one can tell what race we are. Here in Renton we have a huge multicultural population and there are over 80 different languages from across the world spoken here.

List and Sell (to whoever wants it, whereever it is located, as long as they have $)

Gary @ RentonHomeFinder

SEP

2008

Kudos to that reporter who knew he was a witness to something so wrong and didn't let it go. I firmly believe that the majority of real estate professionals act try so act ethically and in the best interests of their clients. It's those with no ethics and out for their own self interests that take down our profession.

Unbelievable! Red-lining happens everywhere unfortunately. It's good to get it out in the open and expose it for what it is. I plan on sending a link to my broker. Thanks!

TO EVERYONE WHO WATCHED AND COMMENTED:

It is very sad that someown with her experience chose to operate above the law. However, like many of you have stated...it is probably much more common than we know. I have personally encountered many agents like the one in this video. The thing that continually shocks me is how brazen they are.

I've actually had some agents ask me if my clients are Hispanic and then tell me that they do not want offers from 'THOSE TYPE OF PEOPLE'. YEAH...I'm sure you are thinking that I took THAT without fighting. NO WAY! One of my clients got a home 30K under asking price because the agent tried that crap with me. (That was four years ago when every home in our market was getting multiple offers.)

Like many said...we need to take a stand...even among our own friends. IF you see someone violating another's right to fair housing...that person is actually harming you and your reputation...not to mention breaking the law.

Again...thanks for all the great input! GBU!!!

Elizabeth, Terrible, but good thing she finally got caught.

Elizabeth this is a incredible disgrace to our industry. She might as well be wearing a white sheet. She should lose her license as well as being made to retire. She could easily resurface elsewhere.

Elizabeth, you are right the video speaks for itself. I'm glad she got caught. You think those days are over and then something like this resurfaces.

SEP

2008

I'm glad she is leaving the business, there is no place for a person like that in this business or any other. Maybe she can find her own island somewhere, where she can live by herself.

I am also disgusted at this lady's person's behavior. I know there are "practicing prejudice people" coming across our path each day. They may try to suppress it to hide it but it always works its way to the surface. We should ALL be part of the solution, not the problem.

I wonder if she ever went to ANY continuing ed classes after she was licensed in the earlier part of the century (sorry). If she were still alive I would put her on blast by making her teach that portion of training. She would have a bird's eye view with her experience. Unreal....I'm still HOT!!!

SEP

2008

Elizabeth - I saw it with my own two eyes but still not sure I believe someone would be so...stupid. My heavens...that is just unbelievable. Debe said in her comment that she died. Is that correct? I must have missed that somewhere along the way.

Btw, I featured this in the Ethics and Realtor Group.

Thank you for posting this Elizabeth.

I wonder how many other high rise communities are like this where one agent seems to dominate the building? Wow. Just......wow.

Tina in Virginia

WOW can you believe this. And how long she was able to pull this off. This is way over the top.

I teach mandatory continuing education ethic and legal update are 6 required hours. I will use this video when we cover fair housing.

Thank you for sharing this.

Richard you got it, all local Realtor's associations should present this type of videos during training to all new members, so they can see that it can be very embarrassing and humiliating to be in this situation, and the consequences of braking the law.

SEP

2008

POWERFUL! Can't wait to play this at our office meeting Tuesday. In addition to fair housing violations, which I have no stomach for, With today's technology (webcams and even baby monitors) we should all be careful with what we say...

...example. How many of us have shown a buyer a house, sat down and wrote the offer at the kitchen table and allowed our clients to say how they "love the house" and "are willing to go much higher" or things like that. What if that was being monitored by some device placed there by the seller? We would have just lost our negotiating leverage and if that were to happen, how sloppy were we in our fiduciary duty to allow that to happen? NEVER allow your buyers to say things inside the house that may hurt them later, negotiating-wise or any other things.

Be aware...Big Brother may be watching.

I saw this on You Tube, Elizabeth and I could NOT believe what I was seeing. You never know who has a camera now a days. I'm like Dave - I try to curb my buyers from saying anything about the house or their situation until we are back at the office. You just never know.

I'm glad to hear at the end of this story that this woman "retired".

SEP

2008

I think if you post a comment here you should watch the entire video to the very end.

She DID retire and lose her license and she DIED within the year. She also stated she could "lose her license" making the comment she did, so she didn't need any CE classes to know better.

Who do you know that at some point in their life hasn't done or said something that IF it were on video would have changed your life forever? I feel sorry for this woman and hope she's in peace.

SEP

2008

Wow...I can't believe this! Thank god they finally caught her.

Elizabeth, I'm shocked that she just kept on going. At one point, she tried to stop herself and said "I'm talking too much". This should be a wake up call for all agents. Candid camera is on us at all times.

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