The Fair Housing Act protects people from discrimination in housing based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), disability, and familial status. These are known as the protected classes. Whether you're buying or selling a home, it's illegal for anyone to treat you unfairly because you belong to one of these groups.

(Fair Housing is not just about avoiding blatant discrimination – it’s also about the little things we do (or neglect to do) in our daily business. Even well-meaning agents can inadvertently stumble into fair housing violations through common practices or habits. Let’s shine a light on five risky practices that you, as a real estate agent, should re-examine today. Each section below describes the habit, why it’s a problem, and how to fix it. By the end, you’ll have a checklist of five “do’s and don’ts”.)

Fair housing is something we need to live and breathe in our work. Besides the ethical imperative of offering equal service to all, remember that fair housing testers and regulators are out there. In recent years, fair housing complaints have hit record highs (over 34,000 complaints filed in 2023, the highest number to date) ​nationalfairhousing.org.

Many of these stem from subtle or unintentional agent actions. Don’t wait until you’re facing a complaint or investigation to audit your practices. Let’s dive into the 5 key areas.

1. Describing Neighborhoods in Subjective Terms (Avoid “Loaded” Language)

The practice: Using words in your listings or client conversations that seem harmless, but could be interpreted as expressing a preference for or against a certain group.

This often happens when describing neighborhoods or properties. Phrases like “desirable neighborhood,” “family-friendly,” “exclusive community,” “safe area,” or even “quiet street” can carry hidden biases.

For example, “family-friendly” might signal a preference against singles or childless couples (implicating familial status discrimination), and “exclusive” might be read as excluding certain races or incomes.

Why it’s risky

The Fair Housing Act makes it illegal to “indicate any preference, limitation or discrimination” in housing ads based on protected classes.

Even verbally, telling a client a neighborhood is “perfect for ______” (some group) or “not ideal for ______” can be seen as steering. Subjective terms are ambiguous – one person’s idea of a “good school” might correlate to racial composition, for instance.

An agent’s casual comment like “this is a nice upscale neighborhood” could be interpreted that the area is predominantly one race or that you assume the client might not fit in.

Real example

A test of real estate agents in Long Island found that some agents would praise certain areas as “nice” or “good” to white buyers, but not give the same info to minority buyers, effectively steering them​. Even if you’re not doing it intentionally, using glowing terms for some neighborhoods and not others can amount to unequal treatment.

How to fix/practice the solution: Stick to objective descriptors and facts

Focus on the property features and amenities, not the type of people who live there. It’s fine to say a neighborhood has a park, or the streets are well-lit, or it’s 5 miles from downtown. Those are concrete. But avoid valued judgments. For instance:

• Instead of “family-friendly neighborhood,” say “Neighborhood features a playground, a community pool, and hosts seasonal events like a fall festival.” This highlights the amenities for families without saying who should live there.
• Instead of “safe, low-crime area,” provide the factual context: “This area is patrolled by a neighborhood watch, and the city’s crime statistics show lower-than-average incident rates. Buyers can check the local police website for details.” Now you’ve given info without the loaded word “safe.”
• Instead of “primarily XYZ neighborhood” when asked about demographics, refer to census data (as detailed in Post #1 above) or simply say, “It’s a diverse community” without specifics, and encourage the buyer to research themselves​.
• Drop the word “exclusive” or “upscale” entirely – those tend to imply economic or social selectivity. Use neutral terms like “high-end finishes” for a property, or describe the actual price range of homes in the area, letting the client infer what they will.

MLS & Marketing Copy

Review your MLS remarks and marketing copy. Are there any phrases that could be misinterpreted? Common offenders: “adult community” (use “55+ community” if it’s legally age-restricted), “no kids” (illegal unless senior housing), “walking distance to church” (mentions religion; use “walking distance to [landmark/street name]” instead), “ideal for singles” (just describe the property size or layout, not who you think it suits).

Even “master bedroom” has been replaced in many markets with “primary bedroom” to avoid connotations. While that change isn’t a legal requirement, it shows the industry’s move toward more neutral language.

In your conversations, if a client uses subjective terms (e.g., “I want a safe neighborhood” or “a good school district”), ask them to clarify their needs in objective terms (crime stats, school ratings)​nar.realtor. This helps you respond with data, not your personal opinion.

By cleaning up your language, you not only avoid fair housing pitfalls – you also provide a more professional, fact-based service to all your clients. The home and its community should speak for themselves without you putting a biased filter on them.

2. Selective Marketing and Advertising Choices

The practice: Tailoring your advertising in a way that might exclude certain groups, even unintentionally. This includes both the words and images you use in ads, and also where and how you advertise. Examples: always using photos of only one demographic in your marketing materials; running Facebook ads but using targeting that filters out certain zip codes or age groups; writing ads like “perfect for young professionals” or “Christian home-seekers welcome” (yes, it happens!).

Why it’s risky

Advertising is a very visible area for fair housing enforcement. Using discriminatory wording is an obvious violation (HUD has penalized agents for ads stating preferences like “no kids” or “ideal for mature couple” etc.​). But even seemingly benign targeting can be problematic.

A few years ago, Facebook got in hot water because its ad platform allowed real estate ads to exclude users by race, gender, age, or zip code – which led to discriminatory ad delivery.

Now there are stricter rules in place for housing ads online (like the Facebook Special Ad Category which limits targeting). As an agent, if you knowingly or unknowingly exclude a protected class from seeing your listings, that’s a fair housing issue. For instance, only advertising high-end homes in media that caters to one ethnicity, or only using social media that skews young for trendy condos, could be seen as not giving equal opportunity for others to find out about the property​.

Additionally, imagery in ads: If all your brochures and website photos show only white families, or only a certain age group, etc., it can signal who you think your clientele is, and it could deter others. HUD recommends inclusive advertising imagery – e.g. featuring people of different races, ages, disabilities – to convey equal opportunity​. While not a requirement, it’s a best practice.

How to fix/practice the solution

Use Inclusive Language in Ads. Remove any “buzz words” that hint at preference​. We covered some above: “families,” “empty-nester,” “singles,” “ethnic neighborhood,” etc.

Focus on the property: “4-bedroom home with large yard and updated kitchen” sells it just fine without “great for families.” If you want to highlight a feature like a home office or single-level living, that’s okay – just don’t say “great for work-from-home young professionals” or “ideal retirement home for seniors.”

Let buyers decide if a feature is great for their lifestyle. Also, never put occupancy limits like “max 2 people” (could be anti-children discrimination unless it’s about legal septic capacity or something, and even then, phrasing is key).

Widen your advertising net. Make sure you’re marketing properties in a variety of channels that reach different audiences. If you mostly advertise in a church bulletin of one denomination, consider also listing in a citywide publication.

If you’re promoting on social media, don’t use targeting filters that cut out segments of the population (aside from basics like geography or income that are relevant to the property). Generally, for online ads, utilize the housing category settings which are designed to keep you compliant.

Imagery and representation: Aim for diversity in any marketing materials that include people. If you’re creating a brochure or a video tour and you have actors or models, mix it up. This isn’t about tokenism; it’s about signaling that all are welcome.

For instance, the HUD guidelines encourage using models of minority and majority groups, different ages, families with and without children, etc., in a rotating manner if you use human figures in ads​.

Also consider adding the “Equal Housing Opportunity” logo or slogan on your website and flyers to affirm your commitment.

Consistency in information provided: A subtle form of discriminatory advertising is when an agent “cherry-picks” who gets to know about a listing. Say you have a pocket listing – if you only share it with select clients based on whom you think might “fit,” that’s a red flag.

The American Apartment Association’s best practices include: “Provide all choices to everyone who applies. Do not narrow choices for specific people even if you feel you are just doing this to be helpful.”​. This means market all listings to any potential buyer who’s qualified, not just the ones you envision living there.

Train your team or colleagues (if applicable): If you have assistants or you work in a team, ensure everyone knows the advertising do’s and don’ts. One person’s mistake in a Facebook post could land you all in trouble. Have a second pair of eyes review ads for unintended bias.

3. Providing Different Levels of Service (Even Unconsciously)

The practice: Without even realizing it, you might be giving some clients “gold star” treatment and others more limited service, based on assumptions about them. This can manifest in a few ways.

Showing fewer properties to certain buyers

Maybe you assume a client can’t afford more, so you don’t show them higher-end options (when in fact you might show a different client everything under the sun).

Or you steer a client away from certain neighborhoods (“I don’t think this area is your vibe”), whereas you’d let another client decide for themselves.

Selective information sharing

For example, telling one buyer about a special financing program or a coming-soon listing, but not mentioning it to another equally qualified buyer.

Or spending lots of time discussing school options with one family but being very curt with another, for no legitimate reason.

Extra requirements or hurdles

Perhaps you require pre-approval letters or proof of funds from clients who look young or have accents, but you readily start showing homes to a client who looks more affluent without asking first.

This was a finding in fair housing tests – some agents imposed stricter prequalification on minority buyers than white buyers​ nar.realtor​ nar.realtor.

If you ask only certain clients to sign an exclusive buyer agreement and not others, that could also be seen as disparate treatment.

Why it’s risky

The REALTOR® Code of Ethics (Article 10) and fair housing laws demand equal professional service to all. If testers catch you consistently doing less for one group, you could be charged with discrimination even if you never said a bad word.

Remember the Newsday investigation: one agent showed Asian and Hispanic testers far fewer listings than they showed to a white tester with the same specs​. That’s unequal service.

It may stem from biases (“I think this client will be difficult” or “They probably only want that part of town”) but those biases can lead to a pattern that violates the law.

Also, the National Association of REALTORS® promotes an Equal Professional Service Model – the idea is to have a standardized approach so every client gets the same quality of service.

If you don’t have a consistent system, you might inadvertently slip into giving some people less. Aside from legal risks, it’s just not good business – you could lose referrals and reputation if clients sense a difference in your treatment.

How to fix/practice the solution

Standardize your initial consultation and questions. Create a checklist for your buyer intake or listing appointments to ensure you cover the same ground with everyone.

For buyers, ask each the same core questions about their needs (budget, location preferences, must-haves).

For sellers, offer the same marketing menu. This helps eliminate any bias where you might assume something instead of asking. It also impresses clients that you have a thorough process.

Offer choices, don’t filter (unless asked). As mentioned in Post #1, let the client set the boundaries. For example, if a buyer says they want to see homes in Neighborhood A, show them homes in A and maybe a couple in B as a comparison if B meets their criteria, rather than deciding on your own that B isn’t for them​.

Unless a client explicitly rules out an area or type of home, don’t you be the one to rule it out for them. “Provide all choices to everyone… Do not narrow choices for specific people even if you feel you are just doing this to be helpful.”​

This quote from best practices is golden. Let the customer say no; don’t say no on their behalf.

Equal info for all. If you’ve compiled a list of helpful links (school info, loan programs, etc.), share it with every buyer. If you know of an upcoming listing, mention it to all clients whose criteria it fits.

One way to ensure this is to utilize a good CRM – when you get a pocket listing or notice something, you can search all your active buyers and send it to all who might be interested, instead of just the one top-of-mind person. The key is consistency and documentation.

If ever questioned, you can show that you routinely send out info to all matching clients, not picking and choosing.

Be uniform with pre-qual requirements. It’s fine (wise, actually) to ask for a mortgage pre-approval before spending weekends on showings – but do that for everyone, or at least based on price range not person. For instance, you might decide “

For houses above $X, I require a pre-approval letter.” Apply that rule across the board. Don’t make it personal. Same with buyer-broker agreements: if your policy is to have one signed, present it to every client at the same stage (perhaps at first offer or first home tour). Consistency protects you.

Mind your time allocation. Check yourself: are you unconsciously giving some clients the “slow walk” (delaying responses, not prioritizing them) because perhaps they are in a protected class you’re less comfortable with or you assume they’re “tire-kickers”?

Any time you catch that thought, correct it. Treat the next new inquiry from, say, a client with a foreign accent or a disabled buyer, with the same hustle and enthusiasm as you would the proverbial “easy sale” client. Each client deserves your best until proven otherwise (like if someone is actually non-serious, that’s behavior-based, not who they are).

Keep records of your contacts and follow-ups to ensure no one’s falling through cracks due to bias.

Use the Equal Service Model framework: The NAR Equal Professional Service Model suggests three keys: Offer objective information, provide a variety of choices, and let the customer set the limits​.

We’ve touched on all three. One practical suggestion from that model: create a standard kit or “sources” list for everyone (as mentioned earlier) ​nar.realtor, and ask every client the same questions about their preferences to guide your search. By doing that, you naturally equalize your service.

Finally, do some self-analysis: Think about your past couple of deals. Did all your clients get the same level of energy and thoroughness from you? If not, ask why. If a reason isn’t strictly business-related (like they only wanted a very quick transaction versus a first-time buyer needing more hand-holding), then there might be bias at play. It could be unconscious – we all have implicit biases from our life experiences ​nar.realtor.

The key is to recognize and actively counteract them​ nar.realtor. For example, if you find you’re less chatty or warm with certain clients, make an effort to bridge that. Building rapport with every client, regardless of background, not only avoids fair housing issues but also makes you a better agent.

4. Steering By “Helping”: Guiding Clients Based on Your Assumptions

The practice: This one is a bit of a cousin to #1 and #3, but it’s important to highlight on its own.

Steering is the act of influencing a buyer’s choice of neighborhood based on a protected class. It can be obvious (“I think you’d be happier in [another area] with people like you” – egads!) or subtle (“I won’t say anything negative, I’ll just only show them houses in areas I think are ‘appropriate’.”).

Many agents don’t think they steer, but studies show it can happen unintentionally – often under the guise of “helping” clients find the “right fit.”

Why it’s risky

Steering is explicitly illegal and a major focus of fair housing testers. It was the central issue in the Newsday exposé – 19% of tested agents engaged in some form of racial steering ​nar.realtor.

It violates the buyer’s right to choose their home without prejudice. It can also reinforce segregation patterns. For example, consistently steering immigrant buyers only to certain enclaves, or conversely steering majority buyers away from those enclaves, perpetuates divisions. Even if an agent thinks they’re being helpful (maybe they assume, “

This client will face prejudice if they move there, so I’ll guide them elsewhere”), it’s not their call to make.

As one fair housing course bluntly states, “Often steering happens on a subconscious level. We make assumptions about where people will want to live based on their religion or family status or skin color, and as a result, we guide them away from or towards certain areas.”​. This is exactly what we must stop doing.

Signs you might be steering inadvertently

• You ask leading questions like, “Are you sure you’d like this neighborhood? There’s not a lot of [your religion/ethnicity/etc.] here.” (If a buyer brings up such concerns on their own, you can discuss carefully, but you should never be the one to suggest it first.)
• You have a mental “map” of who belongs where – e.g., you think of one suburb as “mostly X group” so you either always include it or always exclude it in showings depending on the client’s group.
• You highlight community demographics or aspects differently depending on who you’re with. Example: pointing out a Spanish-speaking church nearby only when touring with Hispanic clients, but not mentioning it to others (you might think it’s a plus for one, irrelevant to another, but providing different info is unequal service unless they asked).
• Avoiding certain listings: If you internally decide “I won’t take this black family to see homes in that predominantly white neighborhood because I worry they won’t be welcome,” that is a form of steering, even if well-intentioned. Similarly, “This home is next to a synagogue, I’ll only show it to Jewish clients” – no, show it to whoever might like the home.

How to fix/practice the solution

Adopt a policy of client-led location choices. At your initial meeting, gather where the client wants to look (and perhaps places they don’t want to look, if any, which must come from them).

Then, honor their choices. Do not inject your biases. If a client is open to multiple areas, you can suggest areas based on housing criteria (like price, commutability, style of homes) – not the people who live there. For instance, “You mentioned wanting a short commute under 30 minutes; Neighborhood X and Y might be good to consider in addition to the ones you listed, because they fit that commute and have homes in your budget.”

Notice that suggestion is based on commute and budget, not on “you’d fit in” or anything personal.

If clients ask for guidance on areas, respond with questions or data. Sometimes buyers do say, “We don’t know the area, where should we look?” Instead of naming neighborhoods off the top of your head (which risks being filtered by your own biases), ask: “What is important to you in a community?” If they say schools, direct them to the school research (as covered before). If they say diversity, that’s tricky – you can point them to demographic info, but make it clear you can’t steer.

If they say convenience, then talk about distance to work, amenities, etc. Based on their answers, provide a range of areas that meet those non-people-based criteria. It’s okay to give them options (“These three areas have lots of parks and short commutes to downtown”), but make sure those options are broad and based on what they explicitly asked for. Offer a variety so you’re not limiting their choices​.

Have a robust search process. Use the MLS to its fullest: input the client’s criteria (beds, baths, price, lot, etc.) without adding your own area filters (unless they specified). Then show all results to the client or let them sift through. Some agents like to “curate” selections – which is fine to weed out obvious mismatches – but be careful not to weed out based on neighborhood name or zip code presumptions.

A good practice is to regularly ask the client for feedback on listings: “Are there any homes or areas you’ve seen online that you want to explore?” They may bring up a place you wouldn’t have, which is good – it breaks your bias bubble and puts them in control.

Document your showings/offers by area. If ever accused of steering, it helps to show that you provided options across different neighborhoods.

Keeping a record can also self-audit: if you look back and see you never seem to show certain clients any homes in higher-income areas, ask why. Was it their choice or your silent omission? Make corrections for future.

Respond carefully to cultural questions. Some clients might fish for steering: “Is this area ‘up and coming’ or ‘changing’?” These could be euphemisms. You must handle it tactfully: “What aspects of an area are important to you?” or “I can’t characterize the people, but the housing stock here is older/newer, etc.”

If they flat-out ask about racial makeup or “would we be welcome,” you can gently say something like, “I’ve worked with many clients in many areas. I believe you can find a great home here if you like it. Legally, I can’t say more on that, but I can point you to community forums or resources if you want to hear residents’ perspectives.”

This is tough, but maintain your fair housing stance. If they don’t want an area due to personal discomfort, note that and focus where they are comfortable—their choice, not yours.

Remember the 6 Ways to Avoid Illegal Steering:

These were outlined by NAR and align with what we’ve discussed. For example: ask about hobbies/lifestyle to suggest areas based on interests (parks, nightlife) rather than demographics; be knowledgeable on objective boundaries (school districts, etc.) but don’t opine on quality; keep a list of houses of worship of all kinds, so religious clients can find their community without you pushing one​; if a client insists you talk about race or similar, explain you cannot due to the law and redirect to resources​. These steps help you provide information without bias.

5. Neglecting Accessibility and Accommodation (Disability Discrimination by Omission)

The practice: Overlooking the needs of clients (or potential clients) with disabilities, or not knowing how to handle disability-related requests. This can include:

• Not being proactive in mentioning accessible features of homes or considering those needs in a search.
• Avoiding showing a property to a client in a wheelchair because it has stairs (without letting them decide if it could be modified).
• Landlords/agents saying “no pets” and not realizing a service animal is not a pet (thus must be allowed regardless of pet policy).
• Failing to facilitate reasonable accommodations in rental or condo situations (like not passing along a request to install a ramp or refusing to negotiate with a landlord on a reasonable modification).
• Advertising that explicitly or implicitly discourages people with disabilities – e.g., “Not handicap accessible” in a listing (better to describe features: “unit is on second floor, no elevator” – that’s factual; versus “no wheelchair users” which is illegal).

Why it’s risky

Disability is a protected class under fair housing. It’s actually the number one basis of housing discrimination complaints filed to HUD in recent years – around 60% of complaints involve disability issues.

Many of these are about refusals to accommodate. The Fair Housing Act requires housing providers to allow reasonable accommodations (policy changes) and modifications (physical changes at disabled tenant’s expense in rentals) for people with disabilities. If you as an agent manage property or represent landlords, you need to know this cold.

Even as a buyer’s or seller’s agent, you should facilitate, not impede, disability access (like ensuring your open house is navigable or being open to discussing how a buyer could renovate for accessibility).

Inadvertently, agents violate fair housing by treating disability-related needs as annoyances or by not advertising to/include disabled clients. For instance, if you never consider accessible homes as part of your niche or marketing, you might effectively be excluding that demographic.

Also, be careful with remarks: Something like “this house might not be suitable for your wheelchair” – if said without being asked, could dissuade someone. Better to just note features (2 steps at entry, narrow doorway width) and let the client decide if it’s workable. Never say something like “the owner doesn’t want to rent to someone in a wheelchair because it’s not accessible” – that’s illegal; the owner must allow the person to decide and possibly modify at their cost.

How to fix/practice the solution

Get familiar with accommodation rules. If you manage rentals or HOAs, know that if a tenant or buyer with a disability requests a reasonable accommodation (e.g., a reserved parking space closer to their door, or permission for a service dog in a no-pet building, or an exception to a policy like picking up rent in person when they can’t travel easily), the default answer should be yes, if it’s reasonable. “

Reasonable” generally means it doesn’t impose an undue financial or administrative burden and doesn’t fundamentally change the program. Most requests are simple and should be granted. If your client is the housing provider, advise them to consult you or an attorney before denying any disability request – it’s often legally required to grant it.

One example from cases: an HOA that delayed approving a ramp installation for a disabled resident got hit with a complaint for “constructive denial”. Speed and sincerity in cooperating with accommodations are important.

Service animals and support animals: These are not pets. Even if a listing says “no dogs,” that does not apply to a service or emotional support animal that a person with a disability needs. Make sure your landlord clients understand this – HUD will come down hard on an unlawful pet policy enforcement.

You as an agent should never be the one to tell an applicant “No pets means your guide dog isn’t allowed.” Instead, educate your client that they must adjust policy (a reasonable accommodation).

Also, in advertising, you can still say “no pets” (since that’s allowed generally), but be prepared to make an exception if a qualified accommodation request comes. Don’t add “no service animals” – that would be blatantly illegal.

Highlight accessible features in listings. This is the flip side of advertising: While you avoid exclusionary terms, you should positively mention things like “wheelchair accessible entrance,” “roll-in shower,” “single-level living,” “wide doorways,” etc., if a property has them​.

This not only expands your pool to disabled house-hunters but also signals inclusive marketing. HUD actually encourages advertising accessibility features to reach those who need them.

It’s not considered steering to say “accessible” – it’s factual and invites those who require it.

Don’t assume about modifications: If a buyer client has a disability, don’t shy away from showing older or two-story homes if they want to see them. Talk about how things could be modified if needed (and research resources: local grant programs for ramps, etc.).

For rental, know that a tenant can make reasonable physical modifications at their own expense (and often must restore on leaving if it’s major). Your role is to facilitate conversation between tenant and landlord on that – perhaps negotiating escrow for restoration. Don’t be the one to say “No, you can’t widen that doorway” – that’s likely a fair housing no-no if it prevents accessibility.

Make sure your own services are accessible. This is more about ADA than Fair Housing, but still: if you have an office, is it wheelchair accessible? If not, be willing to meet clients in accessible locations.

Do your websites and digital content have options for visually impaired (alt text, etc.)? While small agencies may be exempt from some ADA requirements, it’s good practice and reflects an inclusive approach.

Also, if a deaf client needs a sign interpreter for a meeting, consider accommodating that (a reasonable accommodation in providing services – the cost of doing one deal should cover an interpreter, or check local agencies for assistance).

Educate and advertise that you welcome ALL. Sometimes disabled individuals hesitate to even approach an agent for fear of discrimination. You can include a note in your bio or marketing like “

Experienced in accessible home searches” or “Equal Housing Opportunity for all clients – if you have specific accessibility needs, I am here to help.” This lets people know you won’t shut them out. It’s both a business growth tactic (underserved market) and a fair housing practice.

A practical example to illustrate

Imagine you have a listing on a third-floor condo with no elevator. Instead of just saying “No elevator, stairs to unit,” you could mention that clearly and also maybe suggest in agent remarks “Not wheelchair accessible.” That’s fine – it’s a fact. Now, if a wheelchair user still wants to see it (maybe they love the view and plan to install a lift), you show it – you don’t refuse. And if during the showing they inquire about putting in a stair lift, you liaise with the HOA/seller to see if that accommodation can be made. The point is to be helpful, not a gatekeeper or naysayer.

Many continuing education for real estate agents courses now include detailed scenarios on disability (because it’s so prevalent in complaints). If you haven’t taken one recently, it’s worth a refresher. It will cover things like assistance animals, parking, ADA vs FHA differences, etc.

By re-examining how you handle (or haven’t handled) disability needs, you can open your business to a wider audience and greatly reduce the risk of a fair housing misstep. Agents who are proactive and knowledgeable here stand out as true professionals.

To Learn More...

For real estate professionals, understanding these concepts can be particularly valuable during discussions with clients about why REALTORS® and real estate agents are knowledgable professionals.

If you’re preparing for your Real Estate Continuing Education or looking to enhance your knowledge through a Real Estate Course, topics like fair housing and confronting racial discrimination can help set you apart.

As part of your License Renewal Course or other Real Estate CE efforts, staying informed on foundational property concepts can make a big difference in your expertise and client relationships.