ADMINISTRATIVE LAW (ADRE) & GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (Fair Housing Act) prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental and financing of dwellings based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Title VIII was amended in 1988 by the Fair Housing Amendments Act, which:

• expanded the coverage of the Fair Housing Act to prohibit discrimination based on disability or on familial status (presence of child under age of 18, and pregnant women)
• established new administrative enforcement mechanisms with HUD attorneys bringing actions before administrative law judges on behalf of victims of housing discrimination;
• and revised and expanded Justice Department jurisdiction to bring suit on behalf of victims in Federal district courts.

Yes. A real estate agent can represent both the buyer and the seller in a real estate transaction, if both seller and buyer consent.

Real estate fraud is any illegal activity done with the intent of misrepresenting information in any real estate related documents that involves the transfer of money.

The appraisal must be ordered within a reasonable time after escrow is opened.

The status of being an illegal alien is not a protected class under Fair Housing laws.  Therefore, the landlord can refuse to rent the home to an illegal alien.  If the landlord wants to rent the home to an illegal alien, however, there is no law prohibiting the landlord from renting the home to an illegal alien.

Note:  If the refusal to rent is based on race, and not on illegal alien status, there would be a Fair Housing violation.