The Houston Association of Realtors has announced a decision to rename "master bedrooms," and "master bathrooms" to "primary bedrooms" and "primary bathrooms." The group cites historical associations of the word "master" that date back to slavery.
“The MLS Advisory Group regularly reviews the terms and fields used in the MLS to make sure they are consistent with the current market environment,” HAR said in a statement to its members. “The updates to Primary Bedroom and Primary Bath were among nine requests for review that were submitted by members and considered at the most recent meetings.”
The group also says a change in terminology has been a long time coming.
“It was not a new suggestion to review the terminology,” the statement continues. “The overarching message was that some members were concerned about how the terms might be perceived by some other agents and consumers. The consensus was that Primary describes the rooms equally as well as Master while avoiding any possible misperceptions.”
HAR has not made a complete ban on the word "master," as it says members may still use the phrasing when realtors feel it is appropriate.
Whether the decision will influence more reality groups nationwide remains to be seen.
[Via]