‘Master’ bedroom description ditched by Texas real estate group. What’s the new name?
A Texas Realtor group will no longer use the term “master” in description of their homes, according to Realtors and media reports.
What were once called master bedrooms and master bathrooms are now referred to as primary bedrooms and primary bathrooms by the Houston Association of Realtors.
The group made the change following a review of terminology, according to KPRC. It has been a topic of discussion for several years, the agency said.
“The overarching message was that some members were concerned about how the terms might be perceived by some other agents and consumers” according to a statement HAR sent members. “The consensus was that ‘primary’ describes the rooms equally as well as ‘master’ while avoiding any possible misperceptions.”
The phrase “master bedroom” was first used in a 1926 Sears catalog, according to real estate blog Trelora.com. The catalog referred to a room in a Dutch’s colonial house as the “master’s” bedroom, the blog states.
Realtors will not be fined for using the “master bedroom” or “master bathroom” terms and the term is not completely banned. The only changes were through its online platform.
Various Realtors confirmed the Houston announcement on Facebook. Listings on HAR.com have been updated to reflect the change.
Kathy Summerlin Stenson said the change was effective as of June 16.
Kyle Santolini said he was among “many” people calling for the change. He asked his Facebook friends about the topic earlier this month, leading to more than 100 comments.
“We are fortunate to have some fabulous representation on our board who were listening and made this change a priority,” he wrote.
Sarah Hoffman joked on Facebook “they missed an excellent opportunity to label it as the “adult gameroom.”
A Black real estate broker in Houston told the Houston Chronicle she was supportive of the change.
“’Master’ represents a stigma and place in time that we need to move forward from. As a progressive, diverse city, Houston should be reflective of its citizenship,” Tiffany Curry told the newspaper.
The National Association of Realtors will continue to use the term “Master,” its president told the Chronicle.
“NAR sees no reason that real estate professionals cannot use the term, as there is also no evidence that it has any historical connection to slavery or any other kind of discrimination,” according to a statement from NAR President Vince Malta.
This story was originally published June 26, 2020 at 12:10 PM with the headline "‘Master’ bedroom description ditched by Texas real estate group. What’s the new name?."