Brick by Brick: Real Estate with Malcolm Davis

  This Day in Black History – February 9 By Malcolm Davis, HomeVets Realty February is Black History Month, a time to honor the sacrifices, resistance, and brilliance of Black Americans—and to look honestly at how history still shapes our communities and housing markets today. On this day, February 9, we remember milestones that remind us why fair access to homeownership and wealth‑building is still a mission, not just a slogan. On February 9, 1995, Dr. Bernard Harris Jr. became the first African American to walk in space, proving once again that when opportunity and preparation meet, barriers fall. That same spirit of breaking ceilings is exactly what Black families have had to bring to housing for generations—fighting redlining, low‑ball appraisals, and policies that tried to keep us as renters instead of owners. How housing discrimination shaped today’s market For decades, Black buyers were locked out of prime neighborhoods through redlining, racial covenants, and predatory lend...

    Black History Month, Real Estate, and the Truth in Between By Malcolm Davis, HomeVets Realty Black History Month is often framed as a celebration—and it should be. But it’s also a reckoning. Especially in real estate, where the story of Black Americans is not just about success and resilience, but about exclusion, lost opportunity, and systems that were designed to keep ownership out of reach. Real estate has always been one of the most powerful tools for building generational wealth in America. That’s the good. The hard truth is that for much of our history, Black families were intentionally locked out of that opportunity. The Bad We Have to Acknowledge For decades, Black Americans were legally and systematically denied access to homeownership. Redlining, racially restrictive covenants, discriminatory lending, and appraisal bias weren’t accidents—they were policy. Entire neighborhoods were labeled “high risk” simply because Black families lived there. Veterans came home ...

  Squid Game and Real Estate: A Veteran’s Perspective on Buying and Selling a Home For veterans, Squid Game hits a little differently. The pressure, the rules, the need for discipline — these are concepts veterans already understand. And for many veterans, buying or selling a home can feel like a familiar kind of challenge. Not because it should be hard — but because the system often is. Rules Matter — Especially When You Learn Them Late Veterans know the importance of knowing the rules before stepping into a situation. In real estate, many buyers and sellers don’t realize how critical timelines, paperwork, and contract terms are until they’re already involved. VA loans, inspections, appraisals, and contingencies all have specific requirements. Missing a detail can delay or derail a transaction. Preparation is not optional — it’s essential. Pressure Reveals Weak Strategy In Squid Game , pressure exposes who planned and who didn’t. Real estate does the same. Markets shift, interest...

  Squid Game & Real Estate: Why Buying or Selling a Home Sometimes Feels the Same If you’ve ever watched Squid Game and thought, “This feels uncomfortably familiar,” you’re not alone— especially if you’ve bought or sold a home recently. No, real estate isn’t deadly (thankfully), but the pressure, rules, competition, and high stakes can feel surprisingly similar. Game One: You Don’t Know the Rules—Until You’re Already Playing In Squid Game , contestants often learn the rules after the game starts. Real estate can feel the same way. Buyers and sellers step into the process thinking they understand it—until contracts, inspections, deadlines, contingencies, and financing realities show up. Suddenly, the smallest detail matters, and one missed step can cost time, money, or the deal itself. That’s where having the right guide matters. Knowing the rules before the game starts changes everything. Game Two: Competition Changes Behavior In the show, competition pushes people to make ...

  2026: A Make-or-Break Year 2026 isn’t just another year on the calendar for me. It’s a line in the sand . This year will decide whether I continue forward in real estate or take everything I’ve learned and move in a different direction. That’s not said lightly, and it’s not said emotionally—it’s said honestly. I’ve spent five-plus years in this line of work. Five-plus years of learning contracts, markets, systems, and people. Five-plus years of early mornings, late nights, unanswered messages, missed opportunities, and moments where quitting would’ve been easier than continuing. Five-plus years of investing time, money, and belief into something that doesn’t always pay you back immediately—or at all. What most people don’t know is that I’ve done all of this without support from family or friends . Not because they owed me anything—but because I never asked for it. I never looked for validation, handouts, or encouragement. I carried this on my own, quietly, believing that if I w...