Discerning Doesn't Mean Discrimination

In order to keep my license active, I recently suffered through a Fair Housing class I could have taught in a coma. The teacher, a civil rights attorney, affirmed his belief that every landlord is a bigot only interested in renting to trust fund babies. He also said that only 17 percent of Fair Housing lawsuits go to trial and usually the landlords unjustly win.

It really is too bad. I like my renewal classes. Usually. I especially like them if there is a healthy discourse involved with all of us exchanging ideas. This sadly wasn't the forum to do so. In this case, my goal was to do my time, get my certificate, so I could go out in the world until I had to do the entire ordeal over next time my license came up for renewal.

In my experience, landlords are only interested in one thing: finding a decent tenant to babysit their asset for a while. A long while.

But that brings up a few points. As a basic primer for those who don't know or might care: landlords who own more than three properties and/or landlords who are licensed real estate agents need to pay attention to the protected classes. They aren't allowed to discriminate by color, race, nationality, disability, familial status, gender or religion. That said, if I decide I don't want to rent to lawyers, I don't have to. As long as I am consistent.

There are a few areas I am consistent about. I don't rent to people who lie on the application. I don't rent to people who are rude to me or anyone showing my homes. I don't rent to trouble makers (in this case, let's think of the Springs as high maintenance. True "trouble makers" are a whole 'nuther classification). I don't rent to people who are in the United States illegally (and hence, unable get a job--and pay the rent). By the way, it isn't discrimination if I don't want to fence a yard.

In the past several years, I have been threatened to be sued by several callers. Generally these callers want something outrageous (would you mind if I bred wallabies in your home?) or they are so inconsiderate in just a simple call that I know they will be trouble. It used to slightly bother me. Now I just offer them Legal Eagle's number. And, nobody has ever wanted it.

For the record, I don't ask my tenants what color their skin happens to be. Because I own rentals in the Bible Belt, I generally get an idea of my tenant's religious preference--but I don't ask. Nor do I consider it my business.

My business is finding quality people for quality homes.

And as a separate note, I heard from Jack Thursday morning just to let me know Alabama was going to "mess with Texas." Which they successfully did. Alabama won the big game: 37 to 21. Way to go Crimson Tide.