The widening gap between income and home prices in Rhode Island has prompted C.A.R.E from within the real estate industry. C.A.R.E. stands for Community Awareness in Real Estate, which is a program put together by the Rhode Island Association of Realtors in partnership with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Rhode Island Housing & Mortgage Finance Corporation and the Housing Network. The program is designed for real estate professionals interested in assisting under-served communities throughout the state. For manufacturers, energy is more than just another operating expense. It plays a critical role… C.A.R.E.’s curriculum consists of core courses over 21 hours and six hours of elective courses. Eight Rhode Island Realtors have graduated from the program so far, and Stephen Antoni, a Realtor with RE/MAX Professionals in East Greenwich, is one of them. ”There’s a lot of information there that I think every Realtor should know,” said Antoni. “It’s really given me a greater appreciation for working with people from different cultures.” The appreciation of different cultures is brought out through courses in diversity training, where real estate agents can learn how to identify cultural profiles, how many people perceive differences, how people should perceive differences and how people are perceived. Language classes in Spanish are also offered, along with courses on fair housing, finance, creating a creditworthy customer, lead paint awareness and preventing foreclosure. At a recent meeting of the Rhode Island Realtors Association, Nancy Langrall, director of policy for U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), stressed how the outreach of the C.A.R.E. program will help minority populations feel more at home in Rhode Island. “There is no question that homeownership is the cornerstone of the American dream,” she said. Rhode Island Housing Executive Director Richard Godfrey agreed, citing the need for the minority community to be better served in the state. “If we hope to grow our homeownership base in Rhode Island the next market is the immigrant population,” he said. “Imagine hundreds of new homeowners that have a real stake in the quality of their neighborhoods. We’re creating a cadre of community leaders (with this program) that will prove the American dream is possible for all Rhode Islanders.” Cindy Aptt, program development director for the Rhode Island Association of Realtors, said the program has been a little slow getting off the ground, but hopes it will take off when it is offered again this winter, after other Realtors see the benefit of serving the minority community. The gain is not necessarily a financial one either, as the homes the minority community might be able to afford would not bring in as many dollars for a real estate agent as an upper class estate. “This program represents a true commitment to expanding homeownership to all individuals,” she said. Aptt said that the community outreach is not the only good thing to come from this program. “The most inspirational part is the partnership,” between the six groups offering the classes, she said. “Working together you can really get a heck of a lot done.”
Seifert Systems Invests in Energy Efficiency to Strengthen Operations
Realtors join to help under-served communities
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