On this episode of the RealTrending podcast, Ashley Thomas III, president of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB), joined Tracey Velt to discuss the policies, barriers and opportunities shaping homeownership access across the country — especially within Black communities.

Thomas framed the Black homeownership gap as more than a market issue, arguing that it was created through decades of intentional policy decisions, from the Homestead Act of 1862 to Federal Housing Administration (FHA) lending practices and the GI Bill. Because policy helped create the gap, he said, policy must also play a major role in closing it.

Throughout the conversation, Thomas emphasized that access remains the industry’s biggest challenge. Even with more inventory or lower prices, many qualified buyers still struggle to navigate outdated credit models, lending standards, and qualification requirements that don’t reflect how consumers earn and manage money today.

The discussion also highlighted NAREB’s policy initiatives, including its Community Property Fairness Initiative, which focuses on FHA rules in certain states that require nonborrowing spouses’ debt to be counted during qualification. Thomas argued these rules create unnecessary barriers for housing affordability.

Velt and Thomas also discussed the industry’s broader responsibility in shaping consumer confidence. Thomas encouraged agents and brokers to avoid fueling negative market narratives, arguing that real estate professionals help shape buyer behavior through their mindset and messaging.

The conversation closed with a look at NAREB’s eight-city homeownership bus tour, which combines education, housing counseling, legal support and community outreach in cities where affordability remains within reach. For Thomas, the goal is simple: to move the conversation beyond whether it’s a good time to buy and focus instead on whether it’s the right time for individual families to begin building generational wealth through homeownership.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

Related to this episode:

The RealTrending podcast features conversations with the brightest minds in real estate. Every Monday, brokerage leaders, top agents, team leaders, and industry experts join us to share their secrets to success, trends, and the lessons they’ve learned. Hosted by Tracey Velt and produced by the HousingWire Content Studio.