Ethics & Fair Housing
GGAR Ethics Training
REALTORS® are required to complete 2 hours and 30 minutes of ethics training, between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2027 deadline, a time period which is known as Cycle 8. The training must meet specific learning objectives and criteria established by the National Association of REALTORS®. Failure to complete ethics training is a violation of membership, and can lead to suspension of membership and possible termination.
New This Cycle
REALTORS® are required to complete Fair Housing / Anti-Bias Training upon becoming a member, and every 3 years thereafter, coinciding with the Code of Ethics training timeline. This requirement is in addition to the Code of Ethics training. Qualified training must be of not less than 2 hours of instructional time. The training must meet specific learning objectives and criteria established by the National Association of REALTORS®. This requirement will begin January 1, 2025 with a deadline of December 31, 2027.
Training may be completed through NAR’s online courses or through another method, such as online or classroom courses via local/state associations. For questions regarding the Code of Ethics or Fair Housing Training or your completion status, please email Laura.Spangler@ggar.com.
Reporting Your Ethics Training
If you have already completed the training program since January 1, 2025, but your status does not reflect this on your profile, please email a course completion certificate to GGAR at Laura.Spangler@ggar.com so that we may update our records.
Fair Housing Training Requirement
REALTORS® are required to complete Fair Housing / Anti-Bias Training upon becoming a member, and every 3 years thereafter, coinciding with the Code of Ethics training timeline. This requirement is in addition to the Code of Ethics training. Qualified training must be of not less than 2 hours of instructional time. The training must meet specific learning objectives and criteria established by the National Association of REALTORS®. This requirement will begin January 1, 2025 with a deadline of December 31, 2027.
Real estate professionals and consumers depend on strong fair housing laws and practices for our communities and economy to thrive. Discrimination distorts the housing market and closes the door on the American dream of homeownership for qualified buyers. The National Association of REALTORS® and Greater Greenville Association of REALTORS® (GGAR) advance our commitment to fair housing through policy advocacy, innovative programming, and legal guidance.
REALTORS® are active proponents of providing equal professional service to all individuals during the home search and property transaction process. As an organization, the Greater Greenville Association of REALTORS® (GGAR) support and promote state and federal fair housing laws and the goal of home ownership for all.
In South Carolina, it is unlawful for a housing provider to discriminate against a current or prospective tenant or home buyer based on:
- Race
- Color
- National Origin
- Religion
- Age
- Sex
- Familial Status (i.e. children)
- Marital Status
- Sexual Orientation
- Gender Identity
- Disability
- Source of Income (e.g. a Section 8 voucher)
- Veteran or Active Military Status
- Genetic Information
Some examples of unlawful practices include:
- Refusing to rent to you, or charging you higher rent or other fees, based on one of these protected characteristics.
- Steering you away from particular properties or rental units based on one of these protected characteristics.
- Failing or refusing to make reasonable accommodations for tenants with disabilities, including exceptions to policies (for example, a "no pets" policy) or reasonable physical modifications (i.e. grab bars or wheelchair ramps).
- Refusing to give you a mortgage, or charging you higher fees, based on any of the protected characteristics listed above.
- Threatening to report you to immigration authorities so that you or your family members will be afraid to exercise any of your rights under the law.
- Refusing to rent to a pregnant woman or a family with young children, or evicting families, because a property contains lead paint.
Ethical and Professional Standard Enforcement
Licensed agents and brokers who belong to GGAR or another chapter of the REALTOR® organization must adhere to a national Code of Ethics which sets forth standards of practice for serving the public, clients and customers, and fellow REALTORS®. Importantly, Article 10 of the Code stipulates that REALTORS® shall not deny equal professional services to any person for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity. REALTORS® shall not be parties to any plan or agreement to discriminate against a person or persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
Among the standards of practice of Article 10 is a provision that REALTORS® must not use harassing speech, hate speech, epithets, or slurs based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Further, Article 10 mandates that REALTORS®, in their real estate employment practices, shall not discriminate against any person or persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity.