'Present-day redlining': A Black homeowner says her Oakland property was undervalued by $400K
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A pedestrian passes Cora Robinson’s home in Oakland, which she had appraised last summer.Photos by Gabrielle Lurie/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less
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Robinson says appraisals lowballed the value of her Oakland home by around $400,000, largely because she and some of her neighbors are Black.Gabrielle Lurie/The ChronicleShow MoreShow Less
When Cora Robinson decided to refinance her Oakland duplex last summer, the pandemic real estate market was going crazy for roomy stand-alone homes like hers.
Listing sites like Zillow said the property, which last sold for $289,500 in 2006, was now worth more like $1.2 million. Robinson wasn’t looking to sell, but it seemed like a perfect chance to shave several hundred dollars off her monthly payment by locking in a lower interest rate.