Dozens of real estate professionals attended the annual diversity, equity and inclusion summit presented by the Chicago Association of REALTORS® (CAR) in the city’s Greektown neighborhood on June 13.
The daylong event, Leading with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, featured discussions from experts on building generational wealth through homeownership, working with clients who have disabilities, examining bias in appraisals and more.
John Young, a Realtor with RE/MAX Metro in Washington, D.C., outlined the do’s and dont’s of serving clients with disabilities. “Serving clients with disabilities is not a heavy lift,” he said. “Just listen and observe.”
Young has experience working with clients with disabilities and has a daughter with a disability, so the topic is very personal to him. He outlined some common mistakes to avoid if you have a client with a disability:
- Don’t make assumptions about what the client wants or needs.
- Don’t help without asking first.
- Don’t assume what the client will like or won’t like in a home.
- Ask for help from other Realtors or family members who have experience working with people with disabilities.
Paula Williams Madison, Michelle Mills Clement
In a discussion led by CAR CEO Michelle Mills Clement, Madison Media Chairman and CEO Paula Williams Madison shared how she and her two brothers built generational wealth through homeownership. The trio pooled their money together to invest in properties in their neighborhood in Harlem, New York, in the 1970s and eventually grew their assets into what is now an estate on Martha’s Vineyard.
CAR’s 2024 President-Elect Lutalo McGee moderated a discussion titled “Identifying & Exploring Appraisal Bias Solutions in 2024.” Panelists included Karen Freeman-Wilson, president and CEO of the Chicago Urban League; Christopher J. Posey, certified real estate appraiser, CJP Appraisal Services LLC; Scott Reuter, single-family chief appraiser and director of valuation at Freddie Mac; Maureen Sweeney, real estate appraiser, consultant and educator, Maureen Sweeney Real Estate Appraiser Ltd.; and Frank Williams, managing broker and appraiser, F.J. Williams Realty LLC.
Erika Maldonado
Other presentations included an introduction to neurodiversity by Dr. Abigail Cruz of Carnegie Mellon University and an open discussion on DEI led by Hipolito Garcia of OneTrust Home Loans, Cecelia Marlow of Inspire Mortgage LLC and Amy WU with Keller Williams Success Realty.
Erika Maldonado, director of communications and Hispanic liaison for the Cook County treasury office, served as emcee for the event.