Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate and the National Association of Gay and Lesbian Real Estate Professionals (NAGLREP) released data collected from the first ever LGBT Home Buyer and Seller Survey. After pooling over 1700 respondents through a ten-minute online survey, the results represent the LGBT community’s feelings on homeownership and their experience with the process of buying and selling homes.

“This groundbreaking study sheds new light on the aspirations and concerns of this important consumer segment and opens the door for more thoughtful discussion throughout the real estate industry as to how we can best serve and help these consumers achieve the dream of home-ownership,” says Sherry Chris, Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate president and CEO.

Here are some highlights from the report:

• 54% of the LGBT community owns some type of real estate.
• When looking for real estate, 73% of respondents expressed concern about housing discrimination regarding both renting and buying.
• Local safety, statewide anti-discrimination ordinance, and a progressive community are among the major considerations when choosing a property.
• 93% agree that the most important factor in choosing a real estate agent is an excellent reputation, even more so than the number of home sales.
• Nearly 60% of LGBT Millennials cite their plan to start families as a major factor in the decision to purchase a home.

Overall, both LGBT homeowners and non-homeowners alike believe owning a home is a good investment. The conclusions of the study reflect the growing opportunity to assist the LGBT community in their aspirations of home-ownership, and the most pressing concerns real estate agents should be addressing with LGBT clients.  Head over to our Media Center for more survey findings and read the report in full.