At their November meeting, NAR’s Board of Directors approved two amendments to the Code of Ethics that went into effect on January 1, 2023.
- A motion was passed to replace the term “handicap” with “disability” in Article 3, Article 10, the Standards of Practice and in all corresponding references to the protected classes within NAR policy and resources.
The word “handicap” is widely considered to be an antiquated, if not offensive, term. While the text of the federal Fair Housing Act still contains the word “handicap” due to the difficulties of amending legislation, federal agencies have been using “disability” in its place in their regulations, policies and documents since 1992. This amendment updates Article 3 and Article 10 with the preferred terminology while keeping the substance and intent of the article intact. - A motion passed to amend Standard of Practice 3-9 to replace “the listing broker” with “the seller” as it relates to unauthorized access.
This amendment was made to clarify and reinforce the existing ethical obligation for the listing broker to follow the instructions of the owner or seller when establishing terms related to the marketing and sale of a property.