KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A new real estate agency opened its doors in the Argentine neighborhood of Kansas City, Kansas, on Saturday morning.
Jones & Homes Real Estate wants to make sure people of all backgrounds have equal access to home ownership. Especially in a neighborhood that clients say has been under-served.
“It’s the independence, and the equity, and the ownership of the community,” owner Tim Jones said. “Every type of race, every type of culture and creed can get into real estate and make it super accessible to them right on their street.”
Jones grew up in Shawnee Mission, Kansas, but spent much of his time near 3rd and Richmond because his father was a pastor. What he saw there instilled his passion for equity in real estate.
“When you see the mindset of the people that live in maybe government funded housing versus people that are funded by their parents, or have been funded by their parents, it really changes your perspective on general wealth,” Jones said. “Here, it just looks like it’s systemic because people don’t even know its existed. They see their parents renting, or they see somebody else renting, and they believe that’s the only way to be in a home.”
U.S. home ownership significantly increased to 65.5% over the last decade. But according to the National Association of Realtors, minority home buyers are still disproportionately challenged.
- Black — 44% own homes
- Hispanic — 50.6% own homes
- Asian — 62.8% own homes
- White — 72.7% own homes
Housing affordability, access to credit, rising student loan and often lack of available inventory continue to challenge ethnic and minority groups.
“Wyandotte County kind of has a stigma of, kind of, being under-developed and not maybe finding the best homes you could in Johnson County,” recent first-time home buyer Derek Eklund said.
That is why Eklund and his girlfriend Ingrid Suchite say being equipped with knowledge by someone who understands their culture and needs made all the difference.
“It’s scary now just trying to invest in something that’s a 15, 30 year investment. And you just need someone there to kind of give you guidance,” Eklund said. “I have a home of my own now that I go to, and going in for the first time and kind of just taking everything in was yeah, it’s a great feeling.”
Jones says often times people are limited by what they saw growing up. So if parents rented, chances are their kids will, too.
Knowing it all starts with knowledge and information. Jones now invests in youth for a more equitable future.
“We’re giving internships to kids from Schlagle, from kids from Harmon, from kids from the high schools that are close by so that they can know more about home ownership and know that 'Wow, real estate is accessible for me and I don’t have to have too much to start off,'” Jones said.
