people are having totally different conversations when it comes to narratives about real estate and gentrification
04 Apr 2018When we talk about real estate, why do we never talk about distant landlords, real estate as an industry, the roots of land “ownership” as fucked because it imagines land as a commodity, which it isn’t
every time i do some story-based strategy activity, all of those parts of my brain come alive again. i’m reminded of all the ways in which dominant narratives shape and create our world(s).
i’ve lately been thinking about real estate because of gentrification (and the fact that i have to change apartments soon). and because i flow through some pretty white spaces, i get to hear many sides of the conversations about housing. it’s interesting because people are talking about SUCH different things.
when i talk with justice-minded people about gentrification, the conversation is about keeping people in their homes, people getting pushed out of their own neighborhoods, the injustice of the economy, how to fight it, etc.
yesterday, i saw this ad text for an upcoming talk:
When it comes to Real Estate, the shortage of inventory that’s been pushing prices higher and higher has everyone abuzz about what’s likely to happen next, and what moves they should be making now. We are situated in a fast-moving market that can be scary to navigate, especially alone. With a financial background and 13 years under my belt in various aspects of real estate, I’d like to share my knowledge and insights of this industry with fellow Workbarians. So, let’s talk real estate!
Don’t be shy about bringing ALL of your questions about property ownership, development, the flipping craze, tiny homes, rent vs buy dilemma, the amazingly hot market that we find ourselves in, or anything else that you find interesting or perplexing. It’s all good!
this is a completely different conversation. they are talking about “finding ourselves” in a crazy hot market, the flipping craze, making money, renting vs buying, a shortage of inventory, prices getting higher and higher, etc.
and, when i think about my narrative strategy lens, no one is talking about real estate as related to americas root sins (land theft and genocide), land as a commodity (which it isn’t or at least doesn’t function well for the good of the many when it’s viewed as a commodity), the role of landlords or real estate agents specifically as individual people who can be targeted as people to win over, or (related to the commodity point), land as a thing that can even be owned.
and i’m sure there are people coming up with new narratives around this stuff… i just don’t see them. maybe i’m not looking hard enough.
words / writing / post-processing
295w / 11min / 5min