Fair Housing

1. Equal housing opportunity

Estate supports equal housing opportunity. Every listing, message, and offer on Estate must comply with the federal Fair Housing Act and with every state and local fair housing law that applies to the property.

2. Protected characteristics

The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in the sale of housing because of:

• race
• color
• religion
• sex
• disability
• familial status, meaning households with children under 18 or someone pregnant
• national origin

Many states and cities protect more characteristics, such as sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital status, source of income, ancestry, and military or veteran status. The law of the place where the property sits applies in addition to federal law.

3. What listings may not say

A listing may not state or suggest a preference, limitation, or discrimination based on any protected characteristic, and a seller may not refuse to deal with, or set different terms for, a buyer because of one. For example, listings may not include phrases such as:

• “perfect for a young couple”, “no children”, or “adults only”;
• descriptions of the race, religion, or national origin of the neighbours or the neighbourhood;
• “no wheelchairs” or statements discouraging buyers with a disability;
• “walking distance to” a particular church, synagogue, or mosque used to signal who is welcome.

Describe the property itself instead: its rooms, its size, its features, and its location.

4. What Estate does

Every seller confirms, before publishing, that the listing complies with fair housing law. Estate removes listings and closes accounts that break these rules, and it does not screen, rank, or show listings to buyers based on any protected characteristic.

5. Report a concern

Use the “Report this listing” link on any listing page, or the contact form with the topic “Fair housing concern”, to tell us about a listing or message that you believe is discriminatory.

You can also file a complaint with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development at hud.gov/reporthousingdiscrimination, or by calling 1-800-669-9777, or with your state or local fair housing agency.