NAA Independent Rental Owner Professional (IROP)

An independent rental owner advertising a vacant unit on Apartments.com should AVOID which of the following statements?

• ATwo-bedroom apartment available June 1 — $1,400/month
• BHardwood floors, in-unit laundry, dishwasher
• CPerfect for a young professional couple — no kids
• DPets considered with $35/month pet rent and $300 refundable deposit

An IRO posts a Facebook ad for a vacancy and uses Facebook's audience targeting to exclude users 'interested in: family, parenting, baby clothes.' This practice is:

• AAcceptable because Facebook is a private platform
• BA violation of the Fair Housing Act, addressed in the 2019 HUD-Facebook settlement
• CAcceptable as long as the ad copy itself doesn't mention children
• DRequired to keep ad spend efficient

Which Internet Listing Service (ILS) is typically the LARGEST single source of qualified rental leads for a small independent owner?

• ACraigslist
• BZillow Rentals or Apartments.com
• CThe owner's personal Facebook page
• DYard signs only

A standard rental application typically requires the prospect's consent for the owner to:

• AContact their employer and pull a credit and background report
• BPhotograph the prospect's existing home
• CInterview their current neighbors without notice
• DInspect their personal vehicle

An IRO sets income qualification at '3x monthly rent' for a $1,500/month apartment. The minimum gross monthly income required is:

• A$3,000
• B$4,500
• C$5,000
• D$6,000

When marketing a vacancy, the BEST practice for setting asking rent is to:

• AMatch what the owner needs to cover the mortgage
• BConduct a market survey of comparable units within a 1-3 mile radius and price competitiv…
• CAlways price 10% above the highest competitor
• DKeep last year's rent unchanged regardless of market conditions

Loss-to-lease is BEST defined as:

• ARent lost to tenants who break their lease early
• BThe difference between current market rent and the rent actually written on signed leases
• CBad debt from non-paying residents
• DConcessions offered at move-in

An IRO's vacant unit took 45 days to lease. To shorten future vacancy, the FIRST step should be:

• ARaise the rent to attract a 'better' tenant
• BAudit the listing photos, price vs. comps, and how quickly leads are responded to
• CStop advertising on ILS platforms to save money
• DRequire a one-year minimum lease only

A prospect calls about a vacancy. Which question is ALWAYS prohibited under the Fair Housing Act?

• AWhat is your move-in date?
• BHow many people will live in the unit?
• CWhat country are you originally from?
• DCan you provide proof of income?

The closing ratio in leasing is calculated as:

• ATotal leases / total inquiries
• BTotal leases / total qualified prospects who toured
• CTotal move-ins / total tours scheduled
• DTotal renewals / total expiring leases

When an IRO requires renters insurance as a lease condition, the typical minimum liability coverage required is:

• A$10,000
• B$25,000
• C$100,000
• D$1,000,000

A 'cost per lease' marketing metric is calculated as:

• ATotal marketing spend / leases signed in that period
• BTotal rent / months on lease
• CApplication fees / approved applicants
• DTotal marketing spend / website visitors

Steering — directing prospects toward or away from particular units or neighborhoods based on protected characteristics — is:

• AEncouraged when it 'matches' residents to similar communities
• BA federal Fair Housing violation regardless of intent
• CAllowed only in non-HUD-funded properties
• DPermitted if the prospect requests it

A 'guarantor' on a residential lease is a person who:

• ALives in the unit but is not on the lease
• BIs contractually liable for the rent if the resident defaults, but does not live in the u…
• CInspects the unit before move-in
• DManages the property on the owner's behalf

Pre-leasing (signing leases on units before they are physically vacant) provides what PRIMARY benefit to the IRO?

• AEliminates the need for unit inspections
• BReduces vacancy loss by overlapping move-out and move-in
• CAllows the owner to charge double rent
• DAvoids Fair Housing requirements

The Fair Housing Act of 1968 (as amended) protects how many federal classes from housing discrimination?

• AFive
• BSeven
• CNine
• DEleven

Which is a federally protected class under the Fair Housing Act?

• AMarital status
• BSource of income
• CFamilial status
• DSexual orientation

An applicant with a documented disability requests permission to install a grab bar in the bathroom at their own expense. This request is BEST classified as a:

• AReasonable accommodation
• BReasonable modification
• CLease violation
• DDiscrimination claim

Under the Fair Housing Act and HUD 2020 guidance, an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) accompanying a resident with a disability:

• AMust be subject to the standard pet deposit and pet rent
• BMust comply with the property's breed and weight restrictions
• CIs treated as an assistance animal — no pet fees, deposits, or breed/weight restrictions…
• DRequires the resident to disclose the specific diagnosis

Under the ADA, which two questions are PERMITTED when a service animal's role is not obvious?

• AWhat breed is the dog and how much does it weigh?
• BIs the animal required because of a disability, and what work or task is it trained to pe…
• CWhat is your specific medical diagnosis, and which doctor prescribed the animal?
• DCan the dog demonstrate its task right now, and may we see certification papers?

HUD's Keating memo (1998) provides guidance that an occupancy standard of:

• AOne person per unit is presumptively reasonable
• BTwo persons per bedroom is presumptively reasonable as a starting point
• CThree persons per bedroom is required by federal law
• DOccupancy must match the number of beds in the unit

An IRO posts a vacancy ad reading: 'Quiet building — perfect for retirees and empty nesters.' This wording most likely violates which protected class?

• ARace
• BReligion
• CFamilial status
• DDisability

Disparate impact in Fair Housing means:

• AIntentional discrimination against a specific applicant
• BA facially neutral policy that disproportionately harms a protected class
• CCharging different rents in different unit types
• DRefusing to lease to applicants with low credit scores

Under HUD's 2016 criminal-history guidance, a blanket policy that automatically rejects ANY applicant with ANY criminal record is:

• AStrongly encouraged for owner protection
• BLikely to violate the Fair Housing Act under disparate impact
• CRequired by federal law
• DPermitted only in HUD-subsidized housing

Source-of-income protection (e.g., for Section 8 / Housing Choice Voucher holders) at the federal level:

• AIs enumerated in the federal Fair Housing Act
• BIs NOT a federal protected class but is protected in many states and localities
• CApplies only to LIHTC properties
• DWas added to federal law in 2024

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act applies to:

• AAll private rental housing
• BProperties that receive federal financial assistance
• CSingle-family homes only
• DCommercial rental properties

ADA Title III applies to a residential rental property in which scenario?

• AEvery private rental dwelling
• BPublic and common areas of the property — particularly leasing offices and amenities open…
• CInside individual residents' apartments
• DOnly to properties owned by a public agency

A resident files a Fair Housing complaint. They typically have how long to file with HUD after the alleged discrimination?

• A30 days
• B180 days
• COne year
• DTwo years

An IRO who unintentionally treats families with children differently from couples without children has:

• ANo liability because there was no intent to discriminate
• BPotential Fair Housing liability — disparate treatment does not require intent
• CLiability only if the family files in federal court
• DLiability only in 'familial status' states

An applicant with a disability requests that the IRO accept her Section 8 voucher even though the property does not normally participate in the voucher program. The owner should:

• ARefuse — voucher acceptance is voluntary federally
• BTreat this as a reasonable-accommodation request and analyze whether accepting the vouche…
• CAlways accept
• DDemand the diagnosis

HUD Form 903 is used by:

• AOwners reporting income to HUD
• BIndividuals filing a housing discrimination complaint
• CVoucher administrators reporting payment standards
• DLead-based paint disclosure

A leasing agent shows a Black prospect only units in the back of the property and a White prospect units in the front. This is:

• AAcceptable as long as both rented
• BSteering — a per-se Fair Housing violation
• CPermissible if dictated by the owner's preference
• DAllowed if the units are the same price

Fair-housing testing — sending paired applicants from different protected classes to compare treatment — is:

• AIllegal entrapment
• BA lawful enforcement tool used by HUD, DOJ, and private fair-housing organizations
• CPermitted only in court cases
• DLimited to government investigators

If an applicant requests a reasonable accommodation that involves cost, the property owner is generally NOT required to grant it when:

• AThe accommodation imposes an undue financial or administrative burden, or fundamentally a…
• BThe applicant has not lived at the property before
• CThe applicant is not on a Section 8 voucher
• DThe applicant cannot prove the disability publicly

An IRO answering a Fair Housing complaint should FIRST:

• AContact the resident directly to settle informally
• BPreserve all relevant documents and respond through legal counsel within HUD's deadline
• CFile a counter-complaint
• DStop answering all calls about the property

A residential lease's 'integration clause' generally means:

• AAll amenities are integrated into the rent
• BThe written lease is the complete agreement and supersedes prior oral promises
• CThe unit must be racially integrated
• DThe lease integrates with the owner's mortgage

Federal lead-based paint disclosure (24 CFR Part 35 / EPA Section 1018) applies to:

• AAll residential rental properties
• BResidential properties built before 1978
• CResidential properties built before 1990
• DHUD-funded properties only

The implied warranty of habitability obligates an IRO to:

• AProvide premium finishes in every unit
• BMaintain the unit fit for human occupancy — running water, heat, electricity, structural…
• CReplace the resident's personal belongings
• DRenew every lease at the same rent

Constructive eviction occurs when:

• AThe owner files an unlawful detainer in court
• BThe owner's failure to maintain the property is so severe that the resident is forced to…
• CThe resident voluntarily moves out at lease end
• DThe lease term expires

Most state security-deposit statutes require an IRO to return the deposit (and itemized statement of any deductions) within:

• A5 days
• B14-30 days, depending on state
• C60-90 days in every state
• DWithin one year

Reasonable wear and tear (which generally CANNOT be deducted from a security deposit) typically includes:

• ALarge hole in drywall
• BCigarette burns in carpet
• CMinor scuffs on walls and slight carpet matting in heavily walked areas
• DPet stains and odors

Under most state landlord-tenant statutes, an IRO entering a resident's unit for non-emergency repairs must usually provide:

• ANo notice — owners can enter any time
• BAt least 24 hours of advance notice during reasonable hours, in most states
• C30 days written notice
• DA court order for every entry

An IRO's BEST tool to document the condition of a unit at move-in (and protect the security deposit at move-out) is:

• AVerbal walkthrough only
• BA signed move-in inspection checklist with dated photos, retained in the resident file
• CA neighbor's testimony
• DThe original purchase appraisal

VAWA (Violence Against Women Act) housing protections allow a survivor of domestic violence to:

• ABe evicted automatically because of the abuser's conduct
• BTerminate a lease early under specified circumstances and receive certain protections fro…
• CRefuse to pay rent indefinitely
• DDemand free legal representation from the owner

The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) allows an active-duty servicemember to terminate a residential lease early when they:

• AReceive a pay raise
• BAre deployed or receive a permanent change of station (PCS) orders
• CMarry while in service
• DRe-enlist in the National Guard