Real estate purchases and sales represent some of the largest financial transactions many people will ever undertake, yet can often be an intimidating and lengthy process. Finding an honest real estate agent or broker can make this experience less arduous and daunting.
Black excellence can be seen all around us, and that includes in the real estate industry. Black real estate agents are making waves in this competitive sector by closing significant deals and helping families secure homes of their own.
The Peebles Corporation
Even as the real estate industry thrives, few people of color occupy senior-level roles within it. According to a study by National Association of Realtors and HomeLight, only 1.3% of top-level positions held by Black professionals – this represents a serious loss in economic clout and political power for Black communities worldwide. Antoine Thompson, executive director of National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB), states that their organization will strive to bring more Black professionals into real estate brokerage.
NAREB has taken this opportunity to launch the Black Real Estate Agent Program, providing financial and educational assistance for aspiring agents who hope to break into real estate. Their goal is to encourage more African Americans into the field while helping them build wealth; for this program they have partnered with real estate website HomeLight which will offer training programs as well as networking opportunities for aspiring agents.
Peebles has much to be proud of, including being one of the nation’s largest black-owned real estate development companies. His firm currently owns multibillion-dollar developments that range from luxury hotels and residences to multibillion-dollar commercial office buildings in Washington’s Anacostia neighborhood – and this was all when he was only 27!
Peebles’ first project provided an enormous boost for Anacostia, which had long been plagued by crime and poverty. He built one of only several new office buildings constructed since decades in Anacostia – with Peebles building on this success by redeveloping Royal Palm hotel in Miami Beach, Florida.
Peebles has gone on to have an exceptionally lucrative real estate career that continues today. He founded, chairs and serves as CEO of The Peebles Corporation – one of the country’s largest black-owned real estate development and ownership companies – boasting multibillion-dollar projects such as luxury hotels, high-rise residential and commercial properties as well as luxury hotels. Peebles is known as both an astute businessperson and generous philanthropist; in addition to his business acumen he supports many arts projects by funding initiatives he helped finance.
Malika Johnson
Malika Johnson, CEO of The Real Estate Foundation (TREF), a nonprofit organization which invests in low-income neighborhoods, has made waves in real estate. Starting off by purchasing rundown properties to flip, Malika has quickly risen through the ranks as a top black real estate agent. Her goal is to help communities overcome gentrification by providing affordable housing and she employs an effective strategy: first identifying gaps in the market before devising plans to fill them.
Malika brings over two decades of capital markets sales and trading experience from working at top notch firms like Citibank and JP Morgan. She possesses an exceptional eye for value and potential, along with deep market insight that she uses to help clients buy or sell properties, improve their overall financial outlook, or both.
As a native Brooklynite, she believes that financial/housing security should be accessible to everyone. Alongside being a real estate broker, she serves on the Bedford-Stuyvesant Real Estate Board board and 600 Jefferson Avenue Block Association membership committees.
Johnson stands out in an industry where most senior positions are held by White men by breaking barriers for other minorities and building networks of like-minded professionals and expanding her organization. Johnson’s success stands as proof of black Americans’ resilience despite long standing obstacles like deed theft and undervalued property appraisals; nonetheless they have managed to build successful businesses and become industry leaders despite such challenges.
Udeen “Deenie” Simpson-Adjei
Udeen “Deenie” Simpson-Adjei hails from Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn and began her real estate career as an administrative assistant. With an eye towards providing equitable access to home ownership, she decided to earn her real estate license and become an associate broker specializing in Brooklyn sales and rentals primarily within Bedford-Stuyvesant, Crown Heights and Lefferts Gardens as well as serving on Ifetayo Cultural Arts board committee members as an Associate Broker specializing in Bedford-Stuyvesant sales and rentals as an associate broker as well. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Hunter College which she holds B.A. in English degree as an Associate Broker Associate Broker specializing in sales.
These top black real estate agents embody trust, professionalism and community advocacy in an age when civil rights gains are often under attack from efforts designed to undermine equity, diversity and access for communities of color.
Tenisha Williams
Tenisha Williams is a real estate broker and owner of Elite Realty Partners Inc in Davie, Florida. She takes great pride in offering exclusive service to her clients and has assembled a team dedicated to helping people first. Tenisha’s success stems from her tenacity, commitment and willingness to always go the extra mile – qualities which contribute significantly to its longevity.
She specializes in both residential and commercial real estate. Working closely with clients to help make informed decisions and ensure transactions close in their best interests is part of what she strives for as an agent. In addition, she strives to educate them about buying, selling and investing in real estate as she encourages them to put back money into communities to create value for all parties involved.
Tenisha had to work hard to become one of South Florida’s premier black real estate agents. Born into a single mother household, she learned how to become resourceful and take control of her financial destiny. However, Tenisha persevered – becoming CEO of Elite Realty Partners Inc, now known as South Florida’s largest Black woman-owned real estate brokerage firm.
As a multi-millionaire with both residential and commercial property investments, she is widely seen as a rising star within her field. Her clients have included military personnel as well as celebrities from different walks of life. Furthermore, she is known for donating generously to various causes and charities throughout her lifetime.
Her experience and expertise allow her to provide clients with unparalleled service, helping them realize their goals and dreams – whether buying a home or investing in commercial real estate, she will walk them through every step of the process step-by-step.
Her goal is to build profitable rental property portfolios for African American Professionals so they can benefit from steady streams of income while giving back to their communities. She strongly believes in real estate as an effective way of diversifying investments and growing wealth; with her knowledge and experience she can assist in finding an appropriate property investment fit for you lifestyle.