The Evolution of Real Estate Advertisement Language in Racially Transitioning Neighborhoods

Keywords: Neighborhood Change, Real Estate, Text Analysis, Urban Analytics
Abstract Type: Paper Abstract

Abstract

In this paper, we analyze trends in the keywords used to advertise homes in neighborhoods that have experienced significant racial shifts in nine US cities between 2000 and 2020. Specifically, we explore the relative importance of a broad set of neighborhood amenities, built environment, and housing characteristics mentioned in the advertisements as the neighborhoods have undergone racial demographic transformations– either via a significant decline or increase in the share of the White population. We use a dataset of longitudinal property advertisements from the Multiple Listing Services and Natural Language Processing techniques to identify words that are most discriminating of White Influx versus White Flight neighborhoods. Our results highlight the importance of urban consumption amenities used by realtors to advertise properties experiencing substantial increases in their share of Whites between 2000 and 2020. Across all cities, words pointing to proximity to center cities, historic districts, and amenities like arts, restaurants, and stadiums are all indicative of this type of racial transformation. On the opposite end of the spectrum, neighborhoods that saw significant declines in their share of White residents and associated increases in minority residents feature keywords indicative of suburban locations – mentioning malls, shopping, schools, libraries, and playgrounds, as well as more dated housing characteristics like laminate, vinyl, and carpet. In all, the real estate listings portray a story of the new geographies of White flight and White influx across neighborhoods in American cities.