By Melissa Hornbeck

Fair Housing is a big topic in our industry. Sometimes so big the important parts get lost in the fray.

We all know the protected classes – Federally they are race, religion, color, familial status, disability, sex, and national origin. The state of WV adds blindness and ancestry, and the National Association of REALTORS® Code of Ethics includes sexual orientation and gender identity. The latter of these means although we may not be legally liable, we are always ethically liable. But it’s important to remember some of our local municipalities also include classes that reach beyond state and federal, so anyone under that jurisdiction within those classes are also entitled to protection under federal law.

We as professionals must be acutely aware of where we are working and whom we are representing to ensure their rights are not violated. The obvious reasons are (a) it’s wrong and (b) it’s illegal, but what are some of the underlying reasons we should hold these rights in such high regard?

The ripple effects of our not-so-glorious years allowing for discrimination when it comes to property ownership, mortgage access, and insurability are still seen to this day. The number one contributing factor to personal wealth is… home ownership. The average wealth of someone who rents their home is $10,400.00, while the average for a homeowner is $400,000.00. Yup. Really.

When we apply that to homeownership by race it becomes very evident where the wealth gap in our country stems from – 74% of white Americans own homes, that’s 30 points higher than Black ownership, which has the broadest gap landing at 44% ownership rates. Asian ownership is at 63% and Hispanic at 49%. These are statistics from 2024-25 data, so we have a long way to go but I’d like to think we’re fighting the good fight and making strides.

The buck doesn’t stop there, these inequalities go beyond wealth and homeownership. I encourage you to watch this clip about the ripple effects from redlining that have been echoing for decades. Although the very clear evidence is the extreme wealth gap, it also effects public services, utilities, education opportunities, social mobility, and more. Because of this it’s important for us to remember we are the stewards of fairness. What seems simple and easy to one person may have perceived obstacles that feel overwhelming to another.

I hold this truth to be self-evident – we are professionals who care. We care about our clients. We care about our industry. We care about property rights. Because of this, in our day-to-day practices and our day-to-day actions, in both deed and word, we need to be cognizant of others and what their specific needs and perceptions are. In holding ourselves to the highest of standards to ensure everyone feels safe and confident in their housing choices, we can be the stewards of making sure everyone feels at home.