Living in a major city like Seattle is liberating. A person can be who he or she wishes without layers of judgment, harassment and abuse that can sometimes come with living freely in white-picket-fence suburbia or rural America. At least that is the thought.
As a growing number of people become more honest with themselves about who they are, the data show more identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or of other orientations than straight.
Gallup shared that the number of U.S. adults identifying as other than heterosexual has risen to 7.1% – nearly double the percentage in just the last 10 years. This is likely occurring because society is more accepting and people are permitting themselves to live authentically.
The Gallup survey said that 20% of all Gen Z people report being part of the LGBTQ+ community. This chart showcases the numbers by generation:
Seattle/King County, being among the most liberal bastions in the country, is certainly a leader in laying out the Welcome Mat to all people and orientations.
That’s heartening news for the LGBTQ+ community seeking equal treatment in every aspect of life, including housing. After all, the ability to exercise agency over where one lives is a pillar of our freedoms.
“Societal acceptance levels of the LGBTQ+ community are at an all-time high, allowing for a record number of American adults to self-identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community,” said Dave Gervase, President of the LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance and a Florida real estate agent. “But there is still a high volume of discrimination.”
In a survey of its members, the alliance reported nearly 20% experienced high levels of unconscious bias within their local real estate industry. That may be because the average age of a Realtor® in the U.S. is 57, at least two generations removed from today’s more open Gen Z population.
To be sure, additional work must be done within the industry for its people and those they serve to remove bias. There are refreshing signs toward that goal.
The same survey showed that 72% of alliance members believe their local real estate industry has placed an increased emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) over the last three years, while 69% felt the same about their own company.
That’s certainly true with John L. Scott Real Estate. The brokerage last year hired a consultant to support its goal of advancing DEI and fair housing within the industry, developing educational presentations and programs for the thousands of John L. Scott brokers and staff throughout the West.
In addition, John L. Scott’s Company Growth Officer, Monty D. Smith, was recently honored as an LGBTQ+ Business Leader by Puget Sound Business Journal. Smith was among 11 award recipients recognized as business leaders who have advanced inclusion and are making a difference in their communities.
Beyond the growing number of people in America showing their true stripes, the legalization of same-sex marriage in 2015 played a dramatic role in improving home ownership opportunities for the LGBTQ+ community. Since then, 64% of alliance members have seen an uptick in the number of LGBTQ+ couples as homeowners.
According to 2021 research from the National Association of Realtors®, 39% of LGBTQ+ buyers and sellers are married couples, while 37% are single. As a group, their median age when buying and selling is 42, four years younger than non-LGBTQ+ buyers/sellers.
The LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance launched in 2020 to address some of the realities faced by its members and the community at-large in fair housing and homeownership. Today it has more than 2200 members, myself included.
As America marks Pride Month, the real estate industry recognizes it still has work to do to eliminate bias in housing and strive toward a more diverse, equitable and inclusive landscape.
We want to open new doors to opportunity for everyone. Our communities are stronger when we are more inclusive.
That is the goal of this industry and John L. Scott Real Estate.