Home ownership has notoriously become a much harder feat; however, one realty group located in Pinellas County is aiming to break down barriers towards home ownership.
Nestled in the heart of South St. Petersburg lies Franklin & Associates Realty led by Mo Franklin and Samantha “Sam” Franklin. Both are local pastors in the area that have existing ties with the community and received their real estate licenses and opened Franklin & Associates Realty.
In an interview with Bay News 9, Bishop Mo Franklin had this to say about their practice, “And so even though we sell real estate, obviously you carry the heart of the pastor and the first lady as you do it.” With the mind of a real estate agent, however the heart of a pastor, they aimed towards contributing their talents for a community need. They steered towards building up South St. Petersburg. Specifically, helping first-time home buyers.
Responding to a desire to own homes
The Franklin’s further expand on the need for affordable housing as the housing market fluctuates. Further explained by Bishop Franklin, “You know, three years ago you had low interest rates in the twos and 3%, and now interest rates are at 6%.” A changing economy is often first felt by those struggling in a low income stance, further exacerbating the difficulty of home ownership.
The Franklin’s are planning on having first-time home buyers into The Deuces Rising Townhomes, which are targeted towards affordability. The project has received a 19 million dollar donation from the St. Petersburg City Council. Having people buy homes in an area they have spent a majority of their lives in has proven to be fulfilling and a blessing.
Taking away the Sunday “scaries” from home ownership
This feat only scratches the surface of their contribution to their community. They have also hosted events for residents to attend that help to break down the home buying process such as mortgages, affordable housing options, credit guidance, and more. These events are coined “No Place Like Home,” and are hosted at St. Petersburg College’s Midtown campus. Impressively, over the past two years over 300 residents have attended the event.
