In March 2005, the National Association of Realtors began airing television spots on Spanish-language networks as part of a larger public awareness campaign designed to encourage minority home-ownership.

The message the association wants to convey is that Realtors can help potential homeowners navigate the often confusing and complicated home-buying process by providing the expertise and knowledge necessary for a successful transaction.

Today, homeownership in the United States is at an all-time high, but many Americans are still trying to achieve the dream of owning a home of their choice.

According to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau reports from the fourth quarter of 2004, Hispanics continue to have the lowest homeownership rate of any race or ethnic category in the United States. Only 48.9 percent of Hispanic households own their own home, compared to 76.2 percent for Caucasian non-Hispanics, or 69.2 percent for all households. African Americans fared only slightly better with a homeownership rate of 49.1 percent.

However, the rate of homeownership by Hispanic Americans is expected to grow during the next 20 years. A recent study by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies reports that Hispanic Americans are expected to grow to represent up to 40 percent of all new homeowners. In some locations in the United States, the Hispanic community already holds a strong presence in the home-buying market. In California, Hispanic homebuyers purchased more than one in five homes sold, according to a report from Pepperdine University.

Hispanic Americans see homeownership as the foundation of a family's economic security. According to the 2003 Fannie Mae Housing Survey, 78 percent of Spanish-speaking Hispanics see buying a home as a good investment. The report further shows that Hispanic homeowners most frequently cite "having the feeling it is something of your very own" as a major reason they own a home.

Realtors believe they can help bridge the gap to homeownership for those who want to own their own homes by providing information and resources about neighborhoods and the communities where many Hispanic Americans live and work.

Serving the needs of all households, Realtors are able to offer essential expertise about programs designed to assist the first-time homebuyer. They can also provide support in handling paperwork, finding a lender and determining how much the prospective buyer can afford.

Information provided in this column is presented by the Realtor members of the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors at www.silvar.org. Send questions on any topic to gmeissner@silvar.org.