Same-sex couples have a strong desire to invest in real estate, either for a primary home or for investment, but they still are concerned about housing discrimination, says a new study released Thursday.

The Supreme Court decison expected in June that could legalize gay marriage in all states would be one more step toward removing that fear and building confidence in potential home buyers, says Patrick Jones, a real estate broker with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Sonoran Desert Lifestyles, a local brokerage of BHGRE in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate partnered with the National Association of Gay and Lesbian Real Estate Professionals to produce the report on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender homeownership. The “LGBT Home Buyer and Seller Survey” included 1,700 people from the community.

Eighty-nine percent of LGBT homeowners and three out of four LGBT non-homeowners, think homeownership is a good investment. Additionally, 81 percent of respondents felt that a ruling for marriage equality would make them feel more financially protected and confident, which are key sentiments for homeownership, the survey says.

“Individuals who identify themselves as LGBT represent an estimated buying power of $840 billion and reportedly live in 99.3 percent of all counties nationwide,” says Jeff Berger, founder of the association. “The LGBT community is a key part of the nation’s landscape and a powerful market segment that is increasingly achieving social milestones that are historical triggers to home purchases, such as partnerships, marriage and having children.”

The top priority for these home buyers is safety in the neighborhoods, say 88 percent of respondents. Seventy-five percent also say a community with an LGBT anti-discrimination ordinance is very important.

At the same time that attitudes are changing, 73 percent of respondents still say they have strong concerns about some aspect of housing discrimination, either in purchasing a home or renting. The concerns include discrimination by real estate agents, home sellers, landlords, mortgage lenders, property management companies and neighbors.

Financial advisors can help in these situations by making LGBT individuals and couples feel more confident and help them make decisions about investing in real estate, Jones says.

The full report can be found at http://naglrep.com/lgbtsurvey/