State –
EFFECTIVE TOMORROW, April 3, 2026: State Law Requires Anti-Discrimination Disclosure to Sellers Before Listing
- The Ohio Homebuyers Protection Act (HB 315) will require a real estate broker or salesperson to provide sellers with a disclosure of laws that relate to anti-discrimination in the home-buying process and the penalties.
- Without a signed and dated Anti-Discrimination Disclosure to Sellers of Residential Real Estate(click link to Division’s webpage or see attached) real estate brokers or salespersons are prohibited from marketing, advertising, showing, or otherwise offering a seller’s residential real estate for sale, exchange, or purchase.
- The Ohio Homebuyers Protection Act is set to take effect, April 3, 2026.
- Attached is the disclosure form.
National –
ICYMI: Court Decision on FinCEN Residential Real Estate Rule
- a federal district court in Texas vacated the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network's (FinCEN) Residential Real Estate Anti‑Money Laundering (AML) Rule, holding that the agency exceeded its statutory authority under the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and violated the Administrative Procedure Act (APA).
- FinCEN posted a statement noting,
- “In light of a federal court decision, reporting persons are not currently required to file real estate reports with FinCEN and are not subject to liability if they fail to do so while the order remains in force.”
- As of now, the decision removes reporting requirements for title agencies on non-financed real estate transactions.
- Staff will continue to monitor this issue closely and update membership.
VA Home Loan Program Under the Microscope
- At a recent hearing before the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, a real estate professional and veteran delivered a clear message: The VA home loan program remains a powerful tool for homeownership, but it needs updates to stay competitive in today’s market.
- Despite its strengths, the VA loan program is constrained by a lack of housing supply. NAR estimates the U.S. is short nearly 5 million homes, with the tightest inventory at entry-level price points. As Congress examines affordability challenges, REALTORS® emphasized that improving both housing supply and transaction processes will be key to making the program attractive and viable for more eligible home buyers.
