298: Real Estate Bias You Don’t Notice

Sweaty palms? That might be your sign to lean in.

We’re back with a special Fair Housing Month episode, and this time we brought in a very special guest: Molly Mair from Eugene, Oregon—a former teacher turned Realtor and now a brokerage owner, DEI committee chair, and all-around fierce advocate for fair housing.

We first met Molly at a conference in California (shoutout to her adorable sun-logo mugs and shared love for data nerdiness 🫶), and we instantly knew she had a perspective worth sharing. In this chat, she helps us unpack the real-life, real-estate side of fair housing—from inclusive buyer consults to those awkward seller jokes that need shutting down (politely but firmly!).

Fair housing isn’t just something you cram into a continuing ed course. It’s something we live and breathe in our day-to-day business, and Molly shows us exactly how she does that—with heart, systems, and a little trial and error.

🎧 In this episode, we chat about:

• What to say (and NOT say) when clients ask about neighborhoods and schools

• How Molly navigates buyer consults with inclusivity in mind

• The difference between being a “nice” agent and a fair one

• Tips for communicating with escrow and title for smoother, more respectful closings

• The power of reflection when you get it wrong (because you will sometimes!)

• Grants and tools available to help your DEI efforts in real estate

• How to handle sellers who want to choose buyers for the wrong reasons

• What it means to be a fair housing agent—and why it should be on your resume

Whether you're already passionate about fair housing or feeling nervous to say the wrong thing, this episode is for you. It’s full of honest moments, practical ideas, and motivation to just start—even if it’s a little uncomfortable at first.

🎉 Toast of the episode goes to Realtor and fair housing advocate Ashley Contreras!

Products, People & Previous Episodes Mentioned:

• Hustle Humbly Trello Training (Free on YouTube! Just search "Hustle Humbly Trello")

• Implicit Bias Test (Referenced for self-reflection on bias)

• Fair Housing 2.0 Course

• At Home With Diversity Course

• Documentary: The Vanport Flood (Available on YouTube)

• Bias Override Training (Referenced as a valuable educational opportunity)

• Book: So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

 

 

🔑Key Quotes/Takeaways

"Sweaty palms? That’s your sign to lean in." — Katy

"People can’t dispute a spreadsheet. Be consistent and treat every transaction the same." — Alissa

"If you want to break the rules, you won’t be breaking them with me." — Molly

"I’m not a DEI expert, but I’m an advocate—and that means I keep showing up and learning." — Molly

"What do we lose by including more people? Nothing. We just make the table bigger." — Molly

 

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