- By Ellen Osmundson
- As published in the REALTOR Magazine, April 2009

To meet the spirit of fair housing law requires a deeper
understanding of all cultures.

The word “diversity” is ubiquitous today, and the concept is widely embraced. Our markets are more multicultural than ever, with immigrants and minorities making up a fast-growing share of households. Minority homeownership is on the rise too: In 2007, 51 percent of all minorities owned their home, according to Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies – up from 46 percent a decade earlier.

The real estate profession also is becoming more diverse. Thirteen percent of all Realtors are non-white, and the percentage is higher – 19 percent – for those who entered the business in the past two years, according to the National Association of Realtors 2008 Member Profile.

Yet, because of our progress it can be easy to forget that in the not too distant past there were actually laws prohibiting people of a certain skin color, national origin, or even marital status from buying real estate. Even after such laws were banished, unscrupulous practices by dodgy real estate professionals and lenders often stood in the way of the American dream for many people.

Since the passage of the Fair Housing Act on April 11, 1968, federal laws have gone a long way to protect the rights of Americans to own or rent housing. And although these laws are effective at telling us what not to do toward minorities and other protected classes, they don’t tell us what we need to do to work effectively with diverse clients and ensure a truly fair and equal real estate market.

With minority homeownership still lagging the national average, it’s clear that there’s more work to be done. You can make a difference by educating yourself and your community and by being a resource to the culturally diverse customers in your market.

I acquired the Certified International Property Specialist designation a few years ago and subsequently completed NAR’s “At Home With Diversity” course. These programs gave me a head start in understanding cultures from all over the world. Earning the CIPS designation also helped me connect to an international referral network and reach out to other cultures on a business level.

This education has been invaluable, but I realized that in order to benefit the greater community, I would have to share my knowledge. As an immigrant from Hong Kong and a naturalized U.S. citizen, I’ve done many things to help my community learn about Chinese culture. For example, I teach an after-school program called “Fun With Chinese Culture” to elementary kids.

Make yourself a cultural diversity leader in your community. Volunteer to organize cultural events – dancing, singing, or storytelling. Offer to do a cultural cooking demonstration for a school fundraiser or get a few parents together to run an after-school cultural program. Attend meetings and events at various cultural organizations and serve on their boards. Reach out to neighbors and friends and learn about their cultures. Only when we understand and accept other cultures will we truly be free of prejudice and the stereotypes we too often assign to people who appear different from ourselves.

Higher rates of immigration mean that our cities and towns are becoming more diverse every day. As real estate practitioners, we need to embrace that movement to grow our business and better our communities. Let’s start by learning more about our neighbors.

REAL ESTATE NEWS
- As published in the Real Estate Plus Section of Contra Costa Times
- Sunday, March, 29,2009

Prudential, Walnut Creek – Reaching the pinnacle of her profession nationally, Ellen Osmundson of Prudential California Realty was accepted as a charter member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network, a prestigious industry achievement.

More than just a sales-driven recognition, the Top 5 in Real Estate Network aims to help consumers identify the most professional real estate agents in North America. To qualify, each member must first meet a stringent set of criteria, based upon performance, as well as educational and professional skills and service to the consumer.

The Network is carefully selected and managed by RISMedia, real estate industry news service for nearly 30 years. As a charter member of the Top 5 Network, Osmundson is among the first real estate agents to be accepted into this elite organization.

Allan Dalton, the President of RISMedia’s Top 5 Network, congratulated Osmundson for earning this top status within their industry. “Ellen has reached the very highest level of North America’s residential real estate industry. Not only are her professional accomplishments extraordinary, she has long been a true champion for home buyers and sellers in her area. It is a pleasure to welcome Ellen into this elite group of industry leader.”

Top 5 in Real Estate has been established to both empower consumers with leading real estate content through Top 5 members, as well as to ensure that consumers are made fully aware that there is a material difference between average and exceptional real estate professionals.

Ellen Osmundson was born, raised and educated in Hong Kong with a degree in Sociology and a certificate in Journalism. Osmundson owned and managed her own real estate company in Hong Kong before immigrating to the United States in 1989. She achieved her California real estate license in 1990 and has been serving a diverse client base ever since. Osmundson achieved her Certified International Property Specialist designation in 2005 and is also a Fine Homes Specialist in the Prudential network. Osmundson has served on various board and community organizations. She is an active member of the Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce. Contact her at 925-939-7460 or email Ellen.Osmundson@Prurealty.com.