Keller Williams (KW), the world’s largest real estate technology franchise by agent count and the U.S. leader in units and sales volume, is the latest leading real estate brand to partner with the new LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance.

Earlier today, Jason Abrams, head of industry, Keller Williams, made the announcement to the brand’s renowned KW Rainbow Network.

“Keller Williams stands with the LGBTQ+ community largely because of the powerful presence of its KW Rainbow Network,” said Alliance CEO Ryan Weyandt. “Since we launched The Alliance in October, Keller Williams has been well-represented in our membership base and we are looking forward to expanding awareness within the organization.”

“The leadership at KW has joined The Alliance with a pledge to help us expand Fair Housing laws to add sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes, which will help us increase our community’s access to homeownership,” said Weyandt.

Weyandt pointed out that LGBTQ+ homeownership rates currently stand at 49%, according to Freddie Mac, far below the overall U.S. general population rate of 64%.

“We are so honored to be a founding partner of the LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance,” said Abrams. “Across the KW ecosystem, we remain strongly committed to supporting our LGBTQ+ community and promoting equity and inclusion for everyone.”

Founded in February 2004, the KW Rainbow Network is an independent, not-for-profit membership organization that offers educational, advocacy, and networking opportunities. As the franchise’s LGBTQ+ resource, the KW Rainbow Network is committed to building diversity worth celebrating. With more than 1,500 members, the group serves the LGBTQ+ community with integrity, dignity and compassion.

“Keller Williams partnering with The Alliance is important because it’s a public statement that the brand stands against discrimination, bigotry and hate,” said Dave Gervase, a Ft. Lauderdale, Florida-based Keller Williams agent, KW Rainbow Network member and Alliance board member.

Keller Williams’ partnership with The Alliance provides the brand with a seat on the sponsor advisory board, the opportunity to share LGBTQ+ unconscious-bias training to its agent network, and collaboration on thought leadership programs to further awareness of how housing discrimination impacts LGBTQ+ people. 

“What I admire is that in The Alliance, the majority of the chapter presidents and members are Keller Williams agents,” said Kimberly Davis, CEO of the Kimberly Davis Group at Keller Williams in Plano, Texas, KW Rainbow Network Leadership Council member, and chair of the Alliance’s PRISM resource group.

The Alliance, which launched on October 1, is an inclusive member-based organization founded in June as a 501(c)(6) nonprofit corporation, dedicated to enhancing the professional lives of its members while providing consumers with the proper resources to assist in buying, selling and enjoying their home.

The Alliance already has more than 50 chapters around the nation and has taken a leadership role in advocating on behalf of LGBTQ+ homebuyers and sellers. Remember, the LGBTQ community is still not protected by Fair Housing laws at the federal level or in 27 states.

Keller Williams associates are now eligible to receive a $50 discount off their first-year Alliance professional membership by visiting www.RealEstateAlliance.org and using Discount Code KW2021

ABOUT THE LGBTQ+ REAL ESTATE ALLIANCE

The LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit dedicated to empowering the LGBTQ+ community on the path to homeownership as we also advocate on behalf of the community on housing issues. The Alliance, founded in June 2020, is an all-inclusive organization that works to improve the professional lives of its members through a public-facing Alliance Referral Community. The Alliance began accepting members in October 2020 and has more than 50 chapters in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. 

For more information visit realestatealliance.org.