There’s a reason Black wealth is projected to hit near-zero for too many families. Realtor leader Diahnna Curtis (President, Akron Realtist) breaks down how our homes are lost to probate, Medicaid estate recovery, and bad planning—and exactly how to protect them.

What you’ll learn

Why approvals ≠ closings: the hidden drop-off for minority buyers

The wealth math of homeownership (leverage, stability, legacy)

Probate vs. Trusts vs. Survivorship deeds — which keeps the house in the family

How Medicaid’s 5-year lookback can claw back the home—and what to do before crisis

Practical help: grants for inspection/appraisal, scholarships into real estate careers, and vetted pros

Ever wonder why so many approved buyers still lose their homes days before closing? We unpack that frustrating cliff edge and connect it to a bigger mission: building minority wealth through sustainable homeownership, smarter financing, and estate planning that actually protects families. Our guest, Diahnna Curtis—president of the Akron Realtist Association and a seasoned realtor—brings the blend of creativity, grit, and practical know‑how that turns raw circumstances into stable futures.

We start with the personal: how divorce and tight budgets can spark the creativity to DIY, save, and learn the real estate game from the studs. From there, we go wide—examining the minority homeownership gap, why women are carrying more approvals than men, and what the SHIBA report reveals about a troubling wealth forecast. Diahnna explains the late‑stage hurdles that derail closings, including appraisal gaps, thin reserves for surprise costs, and underwriting shifts that punish buyers with limited credit histories. Together, we propose tangible fixes: scholarships to bring more minorities into real estate careers, funds that cover inspections and appraisals, and a community network of lenders, appraisers, and inspectors committed to fair outcomes.

Then we double down on wealth preservation. Too many elders lose homes to Medicaid’s five‑year lookback or see properties trapped in probate for a year while taxes and repairs pile up. We walk through practical tools—living trusts, transfer on death and survivorship deeds—and the hard but necessary family conversations that assign responsibilities early and keep property in the bloodline. Diahnna shares the emotional reality of selling a parent’s home and how to balance memories with stewardship, so care decisions and financial decisions serve both dignity and long‑term stability.

If you care about generational wealth, neighborhood health, and giving kids a foundation stronger than circumstance, this conversation is your field guide. Subscribe, share with someone planning to buy or protect a family home, and leave a review with your biggest question about closing the deal or setting up a trust—we’ll tackle it in a future episode.

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