I just love how our government works...!

[Ron Sower]

I got back from my twice-annual haircut, opened my business emails and had notification from the local MLS services that I used a non-allowed word in a description of one of the homes I have listed.  Yep, that's me...throwing caution to the winds and confronting the government restrictions on words not to be used, based on HUD's Fair Housing Program. Below is part of what was written to me and copied to my manager. So now I will have to be aware of any black Suburban carrying men in dark suits and wearing dark sunglasses, talking to their wrists! Yes, folks, this is a Ron Rant!

The offending word, and I'm whispering this, was.....family. Oh shit! There goes a Black "Burban'' by my house! Going off the grid now! Bye folks!

"NWMLS searches for the following terms which may, if used in a certain context, be considered in violation. (This list is for example only, to help you understand the types of potentially offensive words your agents should avoid.) NWMLS's list may be more comprehensive than HUD's.
' Age '
' Amen '
' Arab '
' God '
' godly '
' Man '
' Men '
'Able bodied'
'Adult'
'African'
'Agile'
'AIDS'
'Alcoholic'
'American'
'Ancestry'
'Asian'
'Bachelor'
'Black'
'Blind'
'Board approval'
'Buddhist'
'Catholic'
'Caucasian'
'Chicana'
'Chicano'
'Child'
'Chinese'
'Christian'
'Church'
'Citizen'
'Colored'
'Congregation'
'Couple'
'Cripple'
'Deaf'
'Disability'
'Disabled'
'Drinkers'
'Elderly'
'Employed'
'Empty nesters'
'English'
'Ethnic'
'Exclusive'
'Executive'
'Families' or 'Family'
'Female'
'Filipino'
'Filippino'
'Foreign'
'Gay'
'Gender'
'Gentleman'
'Girl'
'Golden
age'
'Grandmas
house'
'Guy'
'Handicap'
'Healthy'
'Heterosexual'
'Hindu'
'Hispanic'
'HIV'
'Homosexual'
'Hungarian'
'Immigrant'
'Impaired'
'Independent
living'
'Indian'
'Integrated'
'Interracial'
'Irish'
'Italian'
'Jew'
'Job references'
'Kid'
'Lady'
'Latina'
'Latino'
'Lesbian'
'Male'
'Marital status'
'Married'
'Mature'
'Membership
approval'
'Mentally'
'Mexican'
'Migrant'
'Minority'
'Mormon'
'Mosque'
'Muslim'
'Nationality'
'Negro'
'Newlyweds'
'No children'
'No play area'
'Older person'
'One person'
'Oriental'
'Parish'
'Perfect for two'
'Philipino'
'Philippino'
'Physically fit'
'Polish'
'Prestigious'
'Private
community'
'Professional'
'Protestant'
'Public
assistance'
'Puerto Rican'
'Race'
'Religion'
'Religious'
'Restricted'
'Restriction'
'Retarded'
'Retired'
'Retirees'
'Saint'
'Seasonal
worker'
'Section 8'
'Senior'
'Sexual'
'Shrine'
'Single'
'Smoker'
'Social
security'
'Spanish'
'Straight'
'Student'
'Synagogue'
'Temple'
'Traditional'
'Two people'
'Unemployed'
'Wheelchair'
'White'
'Woman'
'Women'
'Working'
'Young'
'Youth'

[Barb]

Wow Ron, sure makes me glad I am not in real estate.  I don't think I could list a house and not use some of those words. When we sold our house 15 yrs ago, we did it ourselves, I did it all, and I got to use whatever words I wanted in my ads.  The people we sold to were at least 10 of the banned words above, LOL!  Good luck, you have my sympathy.
Barb

[Mugwump]

Wow, if I may ask?...what was the context of your offense?....

[Ron Sower]

Wow, if I may ask?...what was the context of your offense?....

You may...!  I was referring to the use of our community room in the clubhouse for "f----- celebrations". Oh Crap!  You think they'll pick up on this posting?  Crap again...There goes another Burban in front of the house!

Wow Ron, sure makes me glad I am not in real estate.  I don't think I could list a house and not use some of those words. When we sold our house 15 yrs ago, we did it ourselves, I did it all, and I got to use whatever words I wanted in my ads.  The people we sold to were at least 10 of the banned words above, LOL!  Good luck, you have my sympathy.
Barb

Yes Barb...when you represent your own houses you can say just about anything you want. But that's your own house. Agents have to represent their clients' houses to the entire world and stay PC.