What Are Realtists?
Realtists include Real Estate Brokers, Mortgage Originators, Real Estate Attorneys, Appraisers, Home & Pest Inspectors, Property Managers, Real Estate Instructors, Insurance Professionals, Handymen, and More... Realtists promote the highest standards of professional integrity by following a strict code of ethics pursuant to professional certifications and accreditation. Realtists advocate for public policies that protect and expand sustainable affordable housing and home ownership.
Our Mission
Empower our communities to increase home ownership through education, financing and other resources; as well as provide economic and professional development opportunities for our membership.
Our History - NAREB TC Chapter
Homeownership is a vital pillar to building wealth. After the foreclosure crisis of 2009 that hit communities across the country there were several states, communities and people that were heavily impacted.
In 2016, Richelle Taylor (broker) engaged a small but committed group of industry professional to explore options and opportunities to engage within the community to educate and mobilize people of color to have the opportunity to increase their participation within the home buying process. In a small local non-profit office located in North Minneapolis; a community hit hard by the foreclosure crisis, Richelle Taylor collaborated with Mike Spicer (Owner/Broker), Julia Israel (Broker/Coach), Sharmaine Hubbard-Russell (industry professional) and Nicole M. Wright (Diverse Segments Professional). Together, they sought out the data and realized that MN had one of the highest disparity gaps in homeownership between whites and people of color in the country; specifically, for African Americans.
Together, along with other allies explored options and avenues that were appropriate and aligned with their reality that education needed to be the foundation of the transformation in homeownership for people of color within the state. Later in 2016, the group engaged the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB) to complete the process for becoming a local affiliate chapter of NAREB and that is when NAREB-Twin Cities got its start.
The local founders of NAREB-TC went to work and begin to engage other professionals of like minds and that were committed to the core values of advocacy, activism and action. Over the years the membership and movement of NAREB-TC grew moving towards creating equitable homeownership within the Twin Cities region.
Today the work still moves forward, making progress one day at a time to educate families and support them getting on their path to homeownership and wealth.
Meet Our Board Members
Richelle Taylor
Action means consistent steps, big or small.
As a advocate for NAREB, the most important component of successful homeownership is leveraging your ownership to build wealth through stability and financial opportunity
Position
Officer
Founding President
Company
RE/MAX Results
Title
Realtor
Years of service
7
Raashida Shelton
Kim Smith Moore
Position
Chair
Company
MN HOC
Title
Senior Director of Homeownership Programs
Years of service
1
George Gershon
Through service on the NAREB board I am able to have a voice. We are able to be heard. We are able to provide education. We are able to provide the resources & the knowledge necessary to all home buyers.
The pillars of NAREB’s work of Advocacy, Activism and Action for me means we are able to give unique perspectives on Black homeownership and the pathways forward to re-instill hope among Black Americans that homeownership is possible and desirable.
Position
Vice Chair
Company
Movement Mortgage
Title
Originating Branch Manager
Years of service
6
Ana Smith
Title
Real Estate Agent
Years of service
3
Position
Secretary
Company
Bridge Realty
Henry Rucker
Through service on the NAREB board, I am able to assist my real estate peers build a solid foundation and be part of the change that assist more families of color become homeowners in the coming years.
As an advocate for NAREB, the most important component of successful homeownership is wealth creation and long-term asset building that can be passed on for future generations.
Title
Broker
Years of service
6
Position
Officer
Company
Banneker Realty
Lisa Carter
Through service on the NAREB board I am able to to use my platform to help educate people of color about the importance of home ownership and building generational wealth.
Action means means putting together a plan of action for obtaining real estate for the purpose of home ownership or to purchase for an investment. I help my clients put together a road map to achieve that end goal, so whether they can purchase right away or if they have to take care of a few things first. It's helping them get started and staying with them throughout the entire process.
Title
Realtor, GRI
Years of service
6
Position
Officer
Company
RE/MAX Results
Cameron Perket
Through service on the NAREB board, I am able to fight systemic housing inequality in the Twin Cities.
As an advocate for NAREB, the most important component of successful homeownership is creating generational wealth.
Title
Mortgage Area Manager
Years of service
5
Position
President
U.S. Bank
Tiffany Phillips
I am motivated to volunteer with NAREB to educate people of color on the possibility of homeownership in an effort to close the homeownership gap.
As an advocate for NAREB, the most important component of successful homeownership is affordability. It’s important that there are programs out there to help people get into homes sooner rather than later and that people are educated on all options available to them.