ATTENTION, TENANTS and BUYERS!

(post by Dee) There are laws designed to protect you from discrimination in real estate. Plus, Realtors have a code of ethics (not practiced, unfortunately, by many of them!!!) that they should follow so that you wouldn’t ever need to use law as your last resort. We encounter prejudice, racism and stupidity (all under “ignoramus maximus” category) EVERY DAY. Not only is it sad and ridiculous (especially mind-boggling in a city like NY or LA), but many landlords, management companies and Realtors either deliberately or out of ignorance, break discrimination laws daily.

*IF YOU HAVE BEEN REJECTED FOR AND APARTMENT/BUSINESS LEASE OR AS A BUYER BECAUSE:*

- you or your partner/souse/child are of certain race or nationality
- of your age
- of your gender/sex
- of your sexual orientation (whatever it is!)
- you have children (if the number of them exceed legal limit allowed, sorry, you are out of luck - no 4 kids in a studio!)
- you are a lawyer (you should know this, hello!), cop, soldier, sanitation man, etc. - yes, many folks are afraid lawyers!… YOU HAVE BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST, and have a right to complain.

*IF YOU HAVE BEEN REJECTED FOR THE FOLLOWING:*
- income level (not enough or too much, in some buildings) - too bad. Owners have a right to require certain income level
- pets
- you are a smoker
- you are a drug dealer, prostitute/pimp, junkie or a drunk (as in, you showed it by coming to meet the owners/broker toasted - yep, seen it!)
- you want to put too many people in too small a space
- trying to use residential space for business or vice versa
- here is a good one…. If you have been rejected for no reason. Aha! Unless you can prove that others with same or lower qualifications have been accepted, therefore, one of the PROTECTED categories “potentially” has been the “real” cause. Try proving it. Forget it, in this scenario. Don’t waste your time, unless you know for sure.

… YOU HAVE NO RECOURSE. Change your situation/yourself, find another place or keep it to yourself! Sorry.

Note about the above: If the owners/sellers think you are rude, loud, crazy, lazy, dirty, ugly, nasty, or simply don’t like you, they can simply reject you and never tell why. Or they will just tell their agent “I don’t like them”. Game over.

• If you or someone you know have been discriminated against, or you are a Realtor who has encountered discrimination in this area, write us. (Please, no details about your sexual preferences!!! or essays about your “lovely” pets or kids :))

Check out a related article: ‘Couple’s Suit Accuses Real Estate Firm of Bias Against Children‘ - NY Times, Published: April 25, 2008