In today’s world Google searches, Facebook pages, and LinkedIn profiles publicly display our personas to the world. Knowledge of a person’s name alone can reveal their profession, residence, hobbies, and family status. Increasingly, this online information has been used to make determinations about potential home buyers. Buyer Browsing™ is a term describing when home sellers search the backgrounds and profiles of various potential buyers and factor that information in when deciding which offer to select. While Buyer Browsing™ may seem harmless, it infringes on the buyer’s privacy, creates potential for fair housing violations, and distracts contract selections from focusing on the terms of the offer.
Social science has revealed that practically all humans are subject to biases—preferences for or aversions against a person or group. Often times these attitudes or associated stereotypes can exist without our conscious knowledge, known as Implicit Bias.
In the context of a real estate transaction, implicit biases can alter our decision making and cause someone to act in an unfair manner without even realizing it. A seller may unknowingly show preference to buyers who are similar to them or similar to those living in the neighborhood. Buyer Browsing™ expands the seller’s knowledge about potential buyers and increases the risk for implicit bias to play a role.
The Fair Housing Act protects people from discrimination when renting or buying a home. Certain classes such as Race, Religion, Sex, Disability Status, and Familial Status, among others, are protected against discrimination.
While most sellers don’t research their buyers with the express intent of discriminating, the act of Buyer Browsing™ still can cause sellers to make decisions in an unfair and inequitable way. Much needed attention has already been given to fair housing issues in areas of lending and the home search process; now Love This Buyer provides a solution that makes contract selection more fair.
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