Celebrating Pride Month in the Real Estate Industry

BY ROBERT WHITE

In June of 1969, there was a shift in activism for LGBTQ+ rights following the 1969 Stonewall Uprising. Police raided a gay bar, LGBTQ+ people fought back, and a series of uprising events unfolded for six days, according to the Library of Congress. Each June, we honor and celebrate Pride Month in recognition of the Stonewall Uprising anniversary.

LGBTQ+ rights have come a long way since 1969, but there’s still work to do, including in our industry.

According to the National Association of Realtors ® 2021 Profile of LGBTQ Home Buyers and Sellers Report, LGBTQ buyers were more likely than non-LGBTQ buyers to be first-time home buyers.

We’re making strides to bring awareness and educate members about the LGBTQ+ community. At our June Board of Directors meeting, we signed a memorandum of understanding with the LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance. With this, we’ll work to promote awareness for the LGBTQ+ community, collaborate and engage with each other’s member communication channels, and raise awareness of issues that challenge LGBTQ+ consumers.

We look forward to this being a valuable partnership on both sides and are thrilled to have formalized the relationship.

Last month NJ Realtors ® also cosponsored the first-ever two-day Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Real Estate Summit, which helped members build their personal and professional careers. We had great conversations regarding implicit bias, building communities, LGBTQ+ stories, allyship in real estate, inclusive marketing, and fair housing. I thank everyone who attended and for your support during my session with fellow Realtor ® association presidents.

LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance CEO Ryan A.H. Weyandt and I closed out the month of June with a continuing education course. We discussed LGBTQ+ homeownership rates and the impact of discrimination on the community.

While we have made strides towards a brighter future for the LGBTQ+ community in our industry, we still have a long way to go. I encourage you to continute to make actionable efforts to further your LGBTQ+ education and promote fair housing for all.