Diversity in Real Estate
December 4, 2008
Is the U.S. a melting pot?
When the National Association of Realtors was established 100 years ago, its founding board and the 120 founding members were all white males. The word “diversity” did not exist in the real estate vocabulary because it was not necessary at that time.
Today the profile and landscape of NAR is very different: The most commonly talked about subject throughout the group’s weeklong centennial event in Washington, D.C. in May was diversity.
From the surface, it is easy to focus on diversity based on ethnicity or skin color. Diversity, however, is actually an all-encompassing term that leads one to think about the concept of fairness to all people.
Not so long ago, laws prohibited people of a certain skin color, national origin or even marital status from buying properties. Today in California real estate practice, it is illegal to discriminate against people because of one’s age, ancestry, color, disability, national origin, race, religion, sex or sexual orientation.
The laws are there to tell us what not to do; they do not tell us what we need to do in a diverse real estate market. In one class that I attended at the NAR event, we spent two days learning and exchanging experiences about working in a culturally diverse environment. The term “melting pot” appeared as expected. My question was, are we really in a melting pot in the United States? Or do we need more cooking in order to get the ingredients to become a pot of delicious multi-cultural soup?
Current real estate buyers, sellers and even realtors are coming from a more and more diverse background, but are we ready and equipped to work for and with them? Will consumers from a culturally diverse background feel comfortable working with us?
During the two-day class, we all agreed that it is necessary and important to get ourselves equipped for diversity. We need to ask ourselves if we are aware of the changes around us. Have we noticed that there are more languages being spoken around us? What is the culture like behind that “strange” language? Can we learn something about that culture? Are we aware of international current affairs? The key is to learn to accept and respect other cultures as they accept and respect ours.
In their work and personal lives, realtors can help make cultural diversity a positive experience for all. As an immigrant from Hong Kong and a naturalized American citizen, I have done many things to educate the community about Chinese culture, which is what I know best. I also teach an after-school program to elementary school kids called “Fun With Chinese Culture.” Through teaching kids about Chinese culture, parents are also learning, with the handouts and projects that their children bring home. The goal is to break down the barrier of misunderstanding and build mutual acceptance and respect between the two cultures.
While sharing our own cultures among neighbors and friends is a good way to start breaking down the cultural barrier, it is just as important for us to reach out to learn about other cultures. Only when we understand and accept other cultures will we truly be free of prejudice and stereotypes against people who appear different from ourselves. Learning about other cultures will also help us elevate our horizon in the global economic environment.
There may be things that you can do in your community to make cultural diversity a fun and enjoyable experience for your neighbors and friends. Sharing our cultures is a very important step in building a strong community and makes America a true melting pot.
Ellen Osmundson is a Certified International Property Specialist with the National Association of Realtors. She is a realtor with Prudential California Realty, a former columnist on Real Estate and Culture for Sing Tao Real Estate Guide, and the author of American Home Ownership – The Chinese American Dream. She can be reached at 925-939-7460 or Ellen.Osmundson@Prurealty.com. Visit her website: EllenOsmundson.com
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