Real Estate Corporate Housing Blog » Fair Housing

Tenant Inspection Before Letting Your Property

Alan Smith — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 07:24:39 +0000

Believe it or not, but some people will pay less attention to the identity and references of their tenants than they normally do before letting some plumber in to their house. Such negligence can have serious repercussions. At times, the tenant may turn out to be a guy with a criminal background (or even worse, someone associated with a terrorist outfit) or a plain bully, making it hard for you to collect monthly rent on time or increasing rent when it’s due. Needless to say, it’s quite hard to force these tenants to leave once you’ve let them in. On the other hand, something as simple as contacting the tenant’s previous landlords and inquiring about the tenant can save you from innumerable troubles in the future. However, that’s not the only check you need to perform, there are many others such as checking bankruptcy records, criminal record check, liens & judgments, credit history or checking in the list of registered sex offenders.

You can start from doing some verification from their previous landlords, employer or neighbors. Don’t write off this background screening process as being overly-vigilant, there’s nothing wrong in protecting you and your property from the troublemakers or miscreants of any kind. in a way that it accumulates all of the required information about the tenants including their identification, whereabouts, rental history, employment details and credit history. Do not start verifying the information for each of these applications though; you should only check those applicants that you have short listed.

Pay special attention to the person who doesn’t appear local, ask and verify for the reason of moving into that specific area. However, all of this verification or screening process should be carried out on non-discriminatory basis and solely for your own satisfaction. You should also inform the tenant that you will verify the information provided by them, remember there are various laws protecting the tenant’s rights. An honest tenant should have no issues with all of this screening; in fact the vigilance of landlord will leave a good impression on them. Do not set inflexible standards though, for example, you may not be ready to compromise on criminal background or incessantly bad credit history, however you can consider becoming a little lax on requisites like family size.

Facts and Basics of Fair Housing Act

Ralph Serpe — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 06:55:31 +0000

The Fair Housing Act not only abolishes discrimination against African-Americans, but against different races as a whole. The act basically commands that nobody should discriminate a person based on his race when it comes to owning a house. The act mostly covers housing but there are exemptions to it as well. Exemptions from the coverage of the law involves those owner-occupied buildings that do not exceed four units, single family housing that was sold or rented without the help of a broker and also housings that is operated by an organization that limits its occupancy to its members only.

It is not only directly taking part in the discrimination that is covered by the Fair Housing Act, but it also covers the accomplices. The act prohibits any person from coercing, threatening, intimidating or interfering anybody who is exercising a fair housing right, even those persons assisting other people excising the fair housing right. Advertisings should not also be discriminatory, having preference based on race, national origin, color, sex, religion, status and handicap. Such acts are considered illegal and will be dealt by law accordingly. Aside form African-Americans, disabled person also benefit greatly from the Fair Housing Act. This acts as an additional protection for the disables especially towards landlords. Landlords cannot refuse a disabled person from modifying some of the dwelling structure so that it could aid him in his daily activities.

It is everybody’s right to have a house. Everyone has a right to live out the American dream and have a place to call their own. Despite of race, national origin, color, sex, religion, status and handicap, citizens of the United States of America should be able to own or rent a house and the Fair Housing Act makes them able to do so. Nothing and no one has the right to deprive anyone of achieving to possess their own house especially if this will be for the shelter of the whole family. A good home adds up to the esteem of the whole household and gives a better sense of security and protection to everyone.

Learning More About Fair Housing Act

Andy Johnson — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 03:58:04 +0000

Fair Housing Act is a federal law that ensures equal opportunity in home ownership. The title of the law pretty much explains its contents. This law outlines prohibited practices in sale or rental of properties. However, it is centered on the prohibition of all forms of discrimination in the said transaction. Discrimination still exists in the world. Such act may be influenced by their culture or perhaps by their history. Some people may have not gotten over the wars of the past. While others have developed pure disliking to a particular race that it progressed to racism. These things may not be that visible. However, there will still be accounts of it somewhere, especially in real estate.

With the existence of Fair Housing Act, people will have equal opportunities in purchasing or renting homes. If in case discriminatory acts were present at the time of dealing, the aggrieved parties can file a complaint. The alleged discriminating owner will have to undergo due process (or court hearing) before penalties or other legal actions will be imposed.

Racial and governmental discrimination was very evident in the 60s. Because of this, several incidences of riots and violence were triggered. As the situation worsened in 1968, President Johnson ordered the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders to figure out the root cause of such discrimination. According to the report, the cause was rage and ghettoization.

As a remedy to the problem, it was recommended to eliminate racial separation in housing. In March 11, 1968, the congress responded by making the act with amendments. However, the enactment of such law was not until after the death of Martin Luther King Jr. At this time, the country was shaken by another riot. As a result, President Johnson signed the act and it became the policy to promote fair housing in United States. In 1974, additional prohibitions were made as to discrimination to sex, disability and familial status.

Fair Housing For Foreclosure

David Stewards — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 06:59:46 +0000

Before a bank let’s your house go into a foreclosure there are laws that deal with fair housing practices. There was a law passed called the American civil rights act of 1866 and that allows people not to be discriminated with the property they own based on race. It is important that you understand how this law works and how it can affect your home from going into foreclosure. Later the law was amended in 1988 to have a larger scope of the law so it included not only race but also religion and national origin. Also during that year the law included the handicap and also said he could not discriminate based on age or gender. This law was created to help people from being discriminated against.

What are the most important things you need to remember is when you’re involved in real estate is important that you leave behind any prejudice you may have. It does not matter whether you own a house where you are renting out a piece of property you need to abide by the fair housing practices. There are many ways you can also survey going into a foreclosure but you cannot use your national origin or a disability to keep this from happening. You need to work out the terms of payment with your bank so that you can avoid your home from going into a foreclosure.

Remember that it is important you abide by all fair housing practice laws. This means whether you own a house or you are renting out a piece of property you can not choose who you will rent to based on age, religion and/or disability. Also if you are facing a foreclosure on your bank will not give you favoritism depending also on your age, gender etc. You need to work out a payment on ship with your bank so that you can avoid losing your home in a foreclosure settlement. In most cases your bank will be more than willing to work out a notch and so you can stay in your home.

Fair Housing Laws And Ethics

admin — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 02:34:20 +0000

When advertising your home for sale by owner, you will undoubtedly come into contact with a variety of people. All of these people, simply put, will not look just like you. You may come into contact with people of different ethnic groups or nationalities, people of different race, or even people with disabilities or handicaps. Situations can arise where discrimination against different types of people can be a violation of law, particularly regarding housing. Most types of housing are covered under these laws with the exception of those dwellings that operate under shelter laws, for example exclusively for battered women or for the hearing impaired.

Under the Fair Housing Laws, it is illegal to, based on someones color, creed, nationality, sexual orientation, handicap, etc; refuse to sell or to rent housing; refuse to negotiate for housing arrangements; make housing unavailable; deny a dwelling; sale, or inspection; persuade owners to sell or rent – this is known as blockbusting; or deny access to membership in a service and / or membership related to the sale or rental of housing. All of the above, if violated, will result in prosecution and criminal charges being brought against the violator. The same, or similar criteria exist for mortgage lending for the purchase of a home.There exist clauses in the laws that state it is illegal to threaten or coerce, to intimidate or interfere with anyone exercising a fair housing right.

Housing discrimination is not always characterized by the slamming of the door in someones face or a bigoted remark being hurled at a potential home buyer. However, it can be just as ugly and just as hurtful to the would-be buyer. Even without this as deterrence from the act, it is against the law. As a seller, it is important to treat each and every person interested in your home with dignity and respect. It helps to think of everyone as being a member of the human race instead of seeing them as being undesirable if they do not look like you. With the legislation that exists, it is best to conduct the sale of your home in a business-like manner and treat the transaction with all seriousness and gravity without allowing personal preferences to interfere, as this is counter-productive to the ultimate goal: the sale of your home.