Wash. Admin. Code § 162-36 § 162-36-010
Soliciting buyers from neighbors of listed house.
Operative Text
Some real estate firms have a practice of sending letters, post cards or printed circulars to residents of a neighborhood where they have a home listed for sale in order to obtain referrals of prospective buyers of the home. Such a practice does not necessarily discriminate against persons on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression or gender identity, marital status, families with children status, the presence of a sensory, mental or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a disabled person. However, the practice can have a discriminatory effect, and thereby constitute an unfair practice in a real estate transaction within the meaning of this chapter, where: (1) It is used only in neighborhoods occupied entirely or predominantly by persons of a single race, creed, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression or gender identity, marital status, families with children status, have the presence of a sensory, mental or physical disability, or who use a trained dog guide or service animal as a disabled person, or (2) Persons of a particular race, creed, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression or gender identity, marital status, families with children status, have the presence of a sensory, mental or physical disability, or use a trained dog guide or service animal as a disabled person living in the same neighborhood are not sent solicitations, or (3) The content or language of the solicitation invites, promotes or perpetuates residential segregation or discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression or gender identity, marital status, families with children status, the presence of a sensory, mental or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a disabled person.
Wash. Admin. Code § 162-36-010 addresses the practice of real estate firms mailing solicitations—such as letters, postcards, or circulars—to neighbors of a home listed for sale in order to find potential buyers. While this marketing approach is not automatically discriminatory, it becomes an unlawful unfair practice when it is applied only in racially or otherwise homogeneous neighborhoods, when certain protected groups within the same neighborhood are excluded from receiving the mailings, or when the content of the solicitation promotes or perpetuates segregation. The rule covers a broad range of protected characteristics, including race, national origin, sex, gender identity, marital status, disability status, and familial status.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Wash. Admin. Code § 162-36-010, real estate operators who use neighborhood solicitation campaigns to generate buyer referrals are expected to apply those campaigns consistently across all residents in a target area, regardless of protected characteristics. Compliant firms typically review both the geographic scope of their mailings and the language used in solicitation materials to ensure no group is excluded and no content encourages segregation. Maintaining records that demonstrate uniform distribution practices across diverse neighborhoods is a common element of compliance with this provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Wash. Admin. Code § 162-36-010 establishes that residents who are part of a protected class—such as those defined by race, national origin, disability, or familial status—have a right not to be selectively excluded from neighborhood real estate solicitations in a discriminatory manner. If a tenant or resident believes they were singled out or excluded from such mailings in a way that reflects discriminatory targeting, that conduct may constitute an unfair practice in a real estate transaction under Washington law. General enforcement paths include filing a complaint with the Washington State Human Rights Commission or consulting a tenant-rights or fair-housing organization for guidance on available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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