FL PL, Level 7 - Federal & State Laws Pertaining to Real Estate

blockbusting

the illegal act of causing owners to sell their homes by creating fear that members of a protected class are moving into the area

Civil Rights Act of 1866

a federal law that prohibits discrimination in housing based on race or color; became enforceable after Jones v. Mayer (1968)

Fair Housing Act of 1968

a federal law that prohibits discrimination in housing based upon race, color, religion, or national origin and was amended to include sex, disability, and familial status

familial status

under the Fair Housing Act, a protected class composed of families who have children under 18, pregnant women, and people in the process of obtaining legal custody of a child

redlining

the illegal act of a lender refusing to issue mortgages in a specific area

steering

the illegal act of guiding prospective home buyers toward or away from certain neighborhoods because of their membership in a protected class

handicap status

having a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, having the record of such impairment, or being regarded as having such an impairment; also known as disability status

public accommodation

facilities open to the public (such as hotels, restaurants, retail merchants, doctor's offices, golf courses, private schools, day care centers, health clubs, sports stadiums, movie theaters, etc.); under the Americans with Disabilities Act, individuals with disabilities cannot be denied access to public accommodations, public transportation, and commercial facilities

property report

a document that contains all essential information about the property, such as distance over paved roads to nearby communities, number of homes currently occupied, soil conditions affecting foundations and septic systems, type of title a buyer will receive, and existence of liens; under the Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act, developers of 25 or more lots must provide the prospective purchaser with a property report before they sign the contract

subdivided land

the division of parcels of land into smaller units or lots; subdivisions containing less than 25 lots are exempt from the Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act