Fair Housing Laws require that we treat everyone the same regardless of their being in a "protected class" or not.

Unless a Christian Realtor treats every single client the same, they're opening themself up to a discrimination lawsuit.

If the Christian Realtor has a bad day and forgets to fax a client, is late to their appointment, or can't return a phone call promptly - a non-Christian client could perceive that poor service as mistreatment.

The client will think that he would be receiving his fax, or getting his call returned, or not be kept waiting if he were a Christian.

Whether it's true or not - that could be the client's perception, and perception is reality. Many protected class citizens have a chip on their shoulder and always perceive things that go wrong as being "racist" or "homophobic" or "sexist" - whatever.

Another example: If a Christian Realtor makes a habit to pray with his Christian clients during a home tour, he better pray with them all or it's discrimination.

We have many companies in the atlanta,ga area that have faith based names solid source realty,covenant realty,etc.We don't cram anything down anyone's throat.In fact I never even mention it unless the sellers and buyers ask.For me it's more about belonging to an organization that I share the same values,beliefs,and direction with.I can see how belonging to an organization on refferals can be used in the wrong way.There are other organizations out there gay,elderly etc.


It is pretty funny though I have seen a local preacher around here charge a couple 10 percent commission on a residential listing and it became news in the paper that he ripped them off.

I have two questions for the owners of the Christian Real Estate Network: First, What type of Christians are allowed to join – sinning or non-sinning? Second, what background check is undertaken to confirm that members are devout, non-sinning practitioners?

Where could you have possibly come up with Steering based on this topic.

Steering is something you would do to your clients by directing them to a specific area based on protected classes. Nothing to do with the Christian Referral Network!

Fair Housing rules also have no bearing on this topic.

Paul, I took it that the act of dealing with a "Christian" Agent will take precedence over any laws, for the sake of "Religious Christianity" and the agent will feel like he can break any law... IE, the buyers want to live near a certain "Christian Influenced" area... Think I'm kidding? You know I am not..

As for The "Christian" Agents, I can just see it now.."The market shows your home to be $20,000 overpriced, but that's okay... We'll have another prayer session tommorow and God will help us overcome that.... ".. Let's hope these "Christian" agents also remember that God only helps those those who help themselves...

I once dealt with a "Fire and Brimstone" mininster who had horrible credit, he got VERY upset when he could not get pre approved, and threatened to sue everyone.

When he opened a church later, he embezzled all the money and went down south... The term "Christian" means nothing to me... The term "Crook" means a lot..There's always a new one hitting the news every day...

Jim

Jerry W,
So if this were about a Muslim or Jewish Referral Agent Network would you be posting here with such venom? Funny how everyone feels they can attack anything Christian but would hesitate to attack it if it was Muslim, Jewish or another religion.

The 25% referral fee is pretty standard for any type of referral, including the part of it being 25% before your broker split. This is the way referrals work or were you not aware of this or perhaps trying to make some other point about it.

Regarding your sinner comment. Last time I checked we were all sinners! Do you claim to be without sin? Or perhaps you personally know someone that matches that description.


This is simply another referral company. No better or worse than any other.

There are many companies through out the country that market themselves as Christian companies on that comes to mind immediately is ServiceMagic. The individuals that started hismove.com are no different.

Jim,
If a client comes to you and tells you he wants to live within say St. Mary's Parish as an example because he plans to attend that church and send his kids to the parish school then you show him homes that fit that description. You are not in violation to any laws because your client has specifically requested to be shown homes in that area and it deals with a geographic area of town.

You also seem to be bitter in the way you use unrealistic examples to make attacks on christian religion. The bad examples that you use are not the Rule but the exception.

Perhaps I'm totally missing something here, but I fail to see the big sinister plot behind a handful of real estate agents networking together under an umbrella as large as Christianity.

From perusing the pitiful arguments against such a network, I get the feeling some here doth protest too much, methinks.

I know slimy people from all walks of life. That hardly qualifies me to paint everyone from a similar circumstance slimy.

But since several of you are morally outraged by this, I would ask if you are equally outraged by:

THIS

OR THIS?

Not judging, just asking.
JTKing

Paul: Are you a member of the Christian Real Estate Network? Does it screen out sinners from membership or not? (and I'm talking about people in general, not you) If so, how? If not, what value would a buyer or seller get from one of its member agents that they couldn't or wouldn't get elsewhere?

I think it is hyprocritical for anyone of any religion to try to attract business based on their religion, if in their heart they don't practice what they preach. Saying "we are all sinners" does not give this organization high marks nor does it change the fact that it is a marketing vehicle designed to enrich its creators.

That's really stupid, I once received and email get a Cristian loan as low as 1%. What the hell !
God is going to underwrite my loan. lmao

Some of you are not "getting" it. It's not that Christians treat other Christians better than they treat non-Christians. It's that as a group, Christians are honest and fair. Sure there are some bad apples in the barrel, but overall there's an expectation of a higher standard. Sort of like real estate agents and Realtors. We who call ourselves Realtors hold to a higher standard of service. Yet there are good and bad Realtors and good and bad real estate agents. But hopefully people will pick a Realtor because the majority of us work at living up to that higher standard.


One more note, and I'll put away my soapbox. It has nothing to do with sinners and non-sinners. We are all sinners. But Christians are sinners who have been forgiven. It is an inner transformation that motivates us to live better lives.

Hmm. I came back and was really surprised at some of the vehemence on the board. I'm gay, and I certainly understand people looking for a gay realtor. I can understand someone with a specific religious need wanting a realtor who understands that need (for example, some Indian nations would prefer a home with a door which faces east).

But I really don't care for the generalization that just because you've named yourself a Christian realtor means you hold yourself to a higher standard.

And just like the website advertising "Christian Realtors" the implication in your statement above is that "as a group, Christians are honest and fair.".

Hopefully Christians are honest and fair; and just as hopefully Realtors who agree to abide by the NAR Code of Ethics are also honest and fair.

Is a Christian Realtor necessarily more "honest and fair" than say a Hindu Realtor???, a Jewish Realtor???, a Native American Realtor???

The problem I have arises when someone attempts to set one group above another as more "honest and fair" as the website in question here clearly does.

BTW, just for the record I'm a Christian and an Elder in my church but I don't feel the need to wear either accomplishment on my sleeve; especially to attract business.

Well said.