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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Edwin Rios in Oakland, California

Black couple win discrimination case after their house value was lowballed

A For Sale sign is displayed in front of a house
The Austins case was also featured in the ABC documentary Our America: Lowballed. Photograph: Stefani Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images

When Paul Austin and Tenisha Tate-Austin had their home assessed by an appraiser in 2020, they learned it was worth $995,000. So the Black couple, who purchased their home in December 2016 and spent thousands in renovation costs over the years, decided to get a second opinion. They “white-washed” their property and had a white friend pose as the homeowner. Weeks later, a different appraiser assessed the house’s value at $1,482,500.

The couple sued for discrimination.

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