The Biden administration announces new measures focusing on homeownership and small business development to close racial wealth gaps. The Biden administration is zeroing in on homeownership and small business development as avenues to close racial wealth gaps, announcing a spate of new programs Tuesday aimed at supporting communities of color and disadvantaged neighborhoods. The announcement …
Category: News
Nov 21
NAR Ad Campaign Recognized for Fair Housing Commitment
The National Association of REALTORS®’ fair housing campaign, “The Fight for Fair,” speaks out against all forms of discrimination in housing and emphasizes the association’s commitment to fair housing. The campaign—which declares “fairness is worth fighting for, and we won’t stop until the fight is won”—has been recognized for its messaging with several awards recently. …
Nov 20
Another Chance to Defend Independent Contractor Status
A U.S. Senate committee held a hearing Thursday on the proposed Protecting the Right to Organize Act, which targets the independent contractor status of millions of Americans. The National Association of REALTORS® vowed that even though parts of the bill face steep resistance on Capitol Hill, the NAR advocacy team will remain vigilant and engaged …
Nov 17
HUD Allocates $47M to Fight Housing Discrimination
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is distributing $47.4 million to housing organizations to help promote fair housing nationwide—new funding the National Association of REALTORS® has been advocating for to combat housing discrimination. The grants are being awarded to 120 national and local fair housing organizations. “The fair housing groups HUD funds are …
Nov 17
Give Buyer Clients Solid Reasons to Skip Love Letters
NAR’s new “Window to the Law” video exposes the red flags buyers’ notes to sellers can raise in a transaction. The National Association of REALTORS® is continuing to warn its members about the use of buyer love letters to help their clients’ offers stand out from the competition. The letters buyers write to emphasize their …
Nov 16
NAR Files Petition Opposing Department of Justice Action
The National Association of REALTORS® today filed a petition in federal district court in Washington, D.C., to quash a U.S. Department of Justice request that reneges on the terms of a settlement agreement. The agreement, focused on various multiple listing service policies, was approved by the Justice Department in November 2020. In a news release …
Nov 15
Spotlight on Fair Housing at NAR’s Annual Conference
Implicit bias and the historically difficult path to homeownership for communities of color will be highlighted at the REALTORS® Conference & Expo. The National Association of REALTORS®’ fair housing team will present two sessions at the 2021 REALTORS® Conference & Expo(link is external) that offer attendees the opportunity to explore the history of racial discrimination …
Nov 15
Rebuilding Costs May Exceed Fire Victims’ Insurance
Victims of the recent Colorado blaze, which was the most destructive wildfire in the state’s history, may soon learn that rising construction costs have increased the cost of rebuilding beyond what their insurance coverage allows. About 1,000 homes were destroyed in Colorado’s Marshall Fire, which destroyed homes and businesses in the suburbs between Denver and …
Nov 14
Apartments, Homes More at Risk for Fires Than Past Years
Deadly fires in recent weeks have prompted calls for greater fire safety in homes and buildings. The increase in calls for action has occurred following a recent fire in an apartment building in New York City’s Bronx borough, where at least 19 people died, followed by a fire in a Philadelphia row house that killed …
Nov 13
‘Quiet Title’ Law Used to Dupe People Out of Homes
Real estate opportunists in several states in the Midwest are using a loophole in “quiet title” laws to seize control of people’s homes, mostly targeting immigrants, Iowa Public Radio reports. In one case, a 72-year-old immigrant, originally from Mexico, says when she returned to her home of more than 20 years in Marshalltown, Iowa, she …
Nov 13
SentriLock Sues Competitor, Alleging Patent Infringement
SentriLock, a real estate lockbox company backed by the National Association of REALTORS®, has filed a lawsuit against its competitor Supra, alleging patent infringement related to its lockbox technology. SentriLock alleges Supra’s parent company, Carrier Global, of knowingly copying its technology and repeatedly warned Supra of the infringement. In a statement released Tuesday, SentriLock stated that it filed the lawsuit to …
Nov 10
Black Owners Say Homes Unfairly Appraised
Black homeowners believe appraisal discrimination is rampant, a new survey from LendingTree finds. Overall, 23% of homeowners of all races believe their home appraisal is too low. But the consumers who are most likely to feel that way are Blacks (32%) and LGBTQ+ homeowners (31%), the survey finds. Despite the fact that appraisers are prohibited …
