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Every industry and every market has their Karens. You know the power-hungry better-than-thou types that love to stick their nose in everyone's business in the most unagreeable and privileged way. Today we will talk real estate Karens so you can navigate around their nonsensical demands and absurd takes on real estate's best practices.

Oh no, I triggered you! Karens usually aren't for self-help, but if you are here, you're here. I'm down' with it. Let's talk the 3 Karens of Real Estate so you can understand that you are the bane of everyone's existance.

1. You might be a Real Estate Karen...if you are on an HOA Board

Homeowner Associations love to create rules around other people's properties and homes. And those on an HOA boards are usually not real estate professionals or property-rights experts, but just randos who have the the most free time on their hands. 

A volunteer position for someone with unlimited time, no expertise requirement, and potentially unchecked power is the crack pipe every Karen craves.

Looking to enact inane bylaws on a neighbor purely out of spite is a go-to move for many an HOA Karen. Characteristics include measuring one's hedge's height under the cover of darkness, spending the day monitoring the number of guests visiting your home, and assuming every Halloween display is a Satanic offering. 

I (Alan) teach time and time again to avoid HOAs when investing in real estate. Ideally, avoid HOAs when buying a primary as well, but that's often hard to do. But nothing will make your life more miserable than an HOA Karen. You have been forewarned!

Yeah, that's the thing there is no manager around here, Karen. You are going to have to find unearned power elsewhere.

2: You might be a Real Estate Karen...if you are a NIMBY

Do you like affordable housing, but not in your neighborhood? Do you like new transportation options, as long as they don't affect your commute? Do you like increasing tax dollars for your school district, but only until your kids graduate? If so, congrats, you are a Not In My Backyard (NIMBY) Karen!

It's always good to know your label, since you are often labelling others.  NIMBY Karens are often a social justice warrior...when it's convenient.  They also love to moderate or be the top contributor on neighborhood social media pages oscillating between two emotions: complete outrage or smug glee.

Characteristics also include thinking all new homes being built within their zip code are evil, any redevelopment project is a sign of the degradation of society, and yapping nonsense at zoning board meetings as a form of self-righteousness. 

Of course you use a Dikembe Mutombo "Not in my Neighborhood" finger-wave on me. Nothing is more apt.

3: You might be a Real Estate Karen...if you are anti-landlord

A splinter sect of online neckbeards can be found rallying around the issue that being a landlord is inherently unethical because housing is a fundamental right.

We agree around here at House Money Media that everyone should own property if you want to. Yes, we teach how to do exactly that, even if you have no money. We want everyone to own property.

But here is the thing that the anti-landlord movement doesn't understand: not everyone wants to buy a house. What options are there for these people?

The response is often that the government should provide subsidized-housing options for its citizens. This exists, and it's why we have the terms trap house, ghettos,  and concrete jungles 

It's obvious private citizens make better landlords than red-taped bureaucrats and we should encourage this. They provide a variety of housing options in different price points for all walks of life.

Characteristics of anti-landlord lubbers are thinking the world is unfair, putting zero effort into being an active home buyer, and being upset their property dream requires more effort than trolling others online.

Eek, I struck a nerve. You know I'm here to teach you real estate, right? We even have a former-Karen support group in our Discord for people like you. Come on and join us.

Yup, and you're called worst behind your back. House Money Media exists to change even the most ingrained Karen!

In other words:

• Become a real estate expert to make real estate decisions
• Change affecting your personal life may provide a greater good
• No one likes a Real Estate Karen, so don't go there