Is it discriminatory for a person trying to sell a house to put up the "for sale" sign only in Spanish?

Question

To me, thats saying that you only want people that speak Spanish to buy the home....and I think that is not fair.

Answer 1

hmmm. interesting. but....doubt it seriously. if that were the case, Spanish speaking people, chinese speaking people, hell even Middle Eastern people, who are american citizens, can sue because everything in America is in english! we have no national language in the great U.S of A. (at least not officially declared). so although it hurts your feelings, you may need to let this one go. it's quite possible that the homeowner DOES want a spanish speaking person to purchase the house. hell, i head right into a beauty supply store with an african amerian woman is on a poster in the window with a bad azz hairstyle! it's called target marketing.

i suggest you just wooosah this one out. i think it's fine :)

Answer 2

Is it for sale by owner? If so, the owners most likely speak Spanish as their first language. If so, this isn't discriminatory.

If it's listed by an agent, I'm sure the MLS listing is in English...so no, I wouldn't consider this discrimination.

According to the Fair Housing Act, discrimination occurs when you are denied the opportunity to buy the home based on your nationl orgin. If they didn't show you the house because you didn't speak Spanish, that would be discrimination.

Answer 3

There is no law governing the property owner as to how he or she wants to dispose of his or her property. That is guarantee under the broad legal concept of private property rights. However, there are very strict federal as well as state anti-discrimination laws regulating license individuals such as real estate agents, mortgage brokers, lawyers and so forth. They are prohibited from discrimination when dealing with the general public.

There are many instances where a person, a business or whatever advertise their goods and services in a language other than English. If you go to China Town in San Francisco, most of the signs are in Chinese yet most of the shoppers do not speak a word of Chinese. It is not necessarily bad. In the case of China town, it adds certain authenticity to it.

I do not know the circumstances of this person putting up a for sale sign in Spanish. May he he doesn't speak English or may be he thinks his home is more appealing to Hispanics. I do agree that he may be missing another part of the market. That may not be good for him. There is only one language and one color in money and that is GREEN.

Answer 4

its not very discriminatory because they are not putting up signs saying no colored people other than hispanics can buy or etc, but I think they are trying to do that because they may not be fluent in english so they would like someone who understands Spanish to speak with them , its not good ethics but its not discriminatory.

Answer 5

Is it discriminatory to only put up a sign in English?

Answer 6

Actually it is pretty stupid. They are limiting the amount of possible buyers. Unless their whole purpose is not to sell to anyone that does not speak Spanish. Nevertheless it is not illegal or discriminatory to do that.

Answer 7

Not if the neighborhood is predominately latino.

There are laws against "blockbusting" it's an old thing that realtors used to do.


“Blockbusting” refers to the efforts of real-estate agents and real-estate speculators to trigger the turnover of white-owned property and homes to African Americans. Often characterized as “panic peddling,” such practices frequently accompanied the expansion of black areas of residence and the entry of African Americans into neighborhoods previously denied to them. In evidence as early as 1900, blockbusting techniques included the repeated—often incessant—urging of white homeowners in areas adjacent to or near black communities to sell before it became “too late” and their property values diminished. Agents frequently hired African American subagents and other individuals to walk or drive through changing areas soliciting business and otherwise behaving in such a manner as to provoke and exaggerate white fears. Purchasing homes cheaply from nervous white occupants, the panic peddler sold dearly to African Americans who faced painfully limited choices and inflated prices in a discriminatory housing market. Often providing financing and stringent terms to a captive audience, the blockbuster could realize substantial profits.

Answer 8

We don't have a national language. You could put the sign up in Swahili if you wanted to.

Answer 9

Yes it is-It is discriminatory. Now if they have a sign in BOTH languages, then it isn't.

Answer 10

nope. you can put up any for sale sign in any language. but the buying public will be limited .