Black Homeowners: Price Your Home With Power, Not Fear

Let’s talk about something real: pricing your home when you're Black in America isn't just about market value. It’s about dignity. It’s about power. And unfortunately, it’s about surviving systems that still do not see us the way they should.

As a Black woman working in real estate, I’ve been digging deep into how this system works. And the more I learn, the clearer it becomes: the market doesn’t just need facts. It needs truth.

In 2023, the Biden-Harris administration launched a federal task force to tackle racial bias in home valuations. Why? Because Black homeowners are still being undervalued — even when our homes match or exceed the quality of others in nearby White neighborhoods.

(Source: White House Fact Sheet, 2023)

Let me break this down for you — not like a spreadsheet, but like someone who has seen what underpricing does to our community.

Your Pricing Strategy is Your Power Move

The price you list sends a message: This is what I know my home is worth.

But if that number was influenced by biased appraisals, lazy comps, or undervalued community metrics, then what you are really doing is starting from someone else’s idea of your worth. I’m done with that. And I want you to be too.

Biased Appraisals Are Real, But You Can Fight Them

The fact sheet from the administration was clear — homes in Black and Brown neighborhoods consistently appraise lower, even when they’re upgraded, well-maintained, and located in desirable areas. That bias eats away at wealth before the negotiation even begins.

You do not have to accept the first number someone hands you. You can get a second opinion. You can challenge it. You can push back.

Do Not Let “The Market” Scare You Into Undervaluing Yourself

Yes, rates are higher. Yes, buyers are picky. But you are not powerless.

Strategic pricing means setting a number that reflects your home's full value — backed by strong comps, solid marketing, and an agent who knows how to hold the line. Not a price that sounds safe, or worse, desperate.

Don’t Shrink. Prepare.

Your home's worth isn’t about how much you're allowed to ask. It’s about how much you’re willing to fight for, emotionally and strategically.

I’ve started telling my sellers this: you don’t have to play small to play smart.

You walk in knowing your number isn't random — it’s real, and it’s backed by data and energy.

Some of These Pages Keep Disappearing, But the Problem Doesn’t

By the way, if you try to follow links from the government’s DEI efforts, you might run into “Page Not Found.” That’s not a glitch. That’s a quiet erasure.

And that’s why I’m choosing to talk about this now — while we still have access, while we still have breath in our bodies, while we still have property in our names.

Sherries' Note

This system is not set up to protect us. But I’m not just here to work within it — I’m here to challenge it.

If you’re getting ready to sell your home, let’s talk about how to price it with power, not fear. And if you want to hear more than what I can fit in a blog post, catch the podcast episode where I break this down even deeper. It’s raw, real, and for us.

🎙️ Listen to “Real Talk. Real Scents. Real Estate.” wherever you stream podcasts.
Look for the episode called Undervalued But Not Invisible.

Let’s change how we’re seen — one listing at a time.

Citation:
Biden-Harris Administration Tackles Racial and Ethnic Bias in Home Valuations (March 2023)
https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/03/23/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-tackles-racial-and-ethnic-bias-in-home-valuations/