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llustration by Real Estate News; Photo: Meghan Roos
President Oralia Herrera urges NAHREP members to “continue to lead” and “build with excellence” as Latino homeownership climbs.
SAN DIEGO — NAHREP, now 25 years old, has grown to more than 50,000 members and plans further expansion. At NAHREP at AVANCE Global on Sept. 19, Herrera said the organization is “planting seeds and helping them grow,” building bridges, sharing ideas, and widening its reach.
Since its founding, NAHREP has championed fair access to homeownership, working with lawmakers at all levels. Co‑founder and CEO Gary Acosta added that homeownership opens the middle class and business ownership leads to prosperity—values that permeate the group.
The 2024 State of Hispanic Homeownership Report, released with the Hispanic Wealth Project, shows a 49 % homeownership rate, equating to 9.8 million Hispanic households nationwide. With a median age of 31, Latinos are expected to drive homebuyer demand for decades. Urban Institute data projects that Latinos will comprise 70 % of new homeowners over the next 20 years.
Industry leaders highlighted the need to understand Latino homeowners’ needs. Rocket Companies’ CEO Varun Krishna emphasized a strong commitment to the community, noting that the Latino market is central to their strategy.
Looking beyond U.S. borders, Herrera announced NAHREP’s new focus on Latin America and Europe, aiming to serve a “global Latino market” and plant wealth‑building seeds across borders. She called for bold action, continued leadership, and excellence, adding that “we lift as we climb.”
NAR CEO Nykia Wright, speaking at the event, stressed bridging the wealth gap through homeownership. She highlighted NAR’s deeper data analysis to uncover diverse needs, noting that all population segments should benefit from the wealth engine.
Acosta argued that the perception of slower tech adoption among Latinos reflects an economic gap, not a cultural one. Improved wireless and mobile access has changed this, and he sees AI as a powerful tool to close economic, business, and wealth gaps for the community.
