Local Realtors Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the National Fair Housing Act

April is National Fair Housing Month and The Kansas City Regional Association of REALTORS (KCRAR) is proud to be a part of the year-long commemoration of the Fair Housing Act.

On April 11, 1968, President Lyndon Johnson signed into law the Civil Rights Act of 1968. Section VIII of that Law—known as the Fair Housing Act—prohibited discrimination in housing based on race, color, national origin, or religion, and has been expanded since to encompass persons living with disabilities and families with children. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) administers the act.

According to the National Association of REALTORS, “ Fair housing is more than a list of dos and don’ts, rights and penalties, and mandatory continuing education. As stewards of the right to own, use and transfer private property, fair housing protects our livelihood and business as REALTORS and depends on a free, open market that embraces equal opportunity. Fair Housing Makes US Stronger,” it says on their website .

The commemoration of this important legislation will focus on three key elements of fair housing:

Acknowledging the organization’s past role in the fight for fair housing;

Understanding how we as a nation are constantly improving our commitment to fair housing; and

Embracing REALTORS’ role at the forefront of advancing fair housing, leading efforts to address community fair housing issues.

The expertise, talents and integrity of REALTORS all over the country, including the approximately 10,000 in the Kansas City and St. Joseph Metropolitan areas, play an integral role in ensuring that the real estate industry embraces equal opportunity on all levels, including selling, renting, and financing.

Coinciding with the signing of this momentous legislation is the 30th anniversary of the creation of the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA). Through leadership, public policy initiatives, advocacy, education, community development, outreach, membership services and enforcement, the NFHA works tirelessly to eliminate housing discrimination and to ensure that all citizens enjoy equal housing opportunities.

Whether buying or selling a home, it is important to partner with an expert who can guide you through the journey, walking you through each step with confidence and helping you reach the closing knowing your best interests were protected. That partner is a REALTOR.

To best serve clients, REALTORS must be adaptive by channeling various roles throughout the life of a transaction. The ability to adopt the most appropriate role for any given situation is typically so seamless that it may even go unnoticed, but it’s within that ability that the value of a REALTOR is most clear.

REALTORS take on many roles:

Negotiator - Engaged in an unrelenting pursuit of the win-win

Concierge - The go-to person that even go-to people go to

Advocate - Making sure you never have to go it alone

Matchmaker - The mutual friend setting you up with your soulmate house

Wordsmith - Painting the picture of how you will feel

Firefighter - Snuffing out problems left and right

Designer - Selling homes is an artform

Advisor - With experience comes wisdom (and the eagerness to share it)

The big question is, which one do you need? Luckily, when you partner with a REALTOR, you get them all.

The National Association of REALTORS is America's largest trade association, representing 1.3 million members, including NAR's institutes, societies, and councils, involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. Their membership is composed of residential and commercial brokers, salespeople, property managers, appraisers, counselors, and others engaged in the real estate industry. Members belong to one or more of approximately 1,200 local associations/boards and 54 state and territory associations of REALTORS.

Your REALTOR® is Your Advocate

Remember, although buying or selling a home can be an intimidating process, with a REALTOR—a member of the National Association of Realtors—at your side, you have an expert leading the way.

This story was originally published April 20, 2018 at 12:01 AM with the headline "Local Realtors Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the National Fair Housing Act."