🏘️ WyCo Housing Under Pressure: The Corporate Takeover 📈

In Wyandotte County, local homeownership feels increasingly out of reach. While median home values hover around $220K–$230K, showing a 5–7% annual increase, much of this surge is driven by institutional investors snapping up properties faster than families can compete 💸 :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}.

🔍 What the Research Tells Us:

• Median listing price ~\$227K (+13.5% YoY), and ~30% of homes sell above list price :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}.
• Investor-owned single-family rentals now account for nearly 20% of the Kansas City metro’s rental stock—5 companies control ~8,000 homes :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}.

📣 In Their Own Words:

> “If we would find a house we liked… by the time we had just a few days to talk it was already gone.” > — Brenna Dwyer, house-hunting in Shawnee :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}

> “Real estate flippers are generally shitbags… they do shoddy work and charge exorbitant markups.” > — Kansas City resident on Reddit :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}

⚠️ Why This Matters:

• Families get priced out—unable to compete with cash offers and institutional buyers.
• Homes held as investments often become rentals with minimal upkeep, hurting neighborhood quality :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}.
• Corporate dominance skews market dynamics—fewer owner-occupied homes, more absentee landlords.

📌 What WyCo Needs Now:

• 🏠 Limit how many homes corporations can own in residential zones
• 🌐 Set aside inventory for first-time buyers via down‑payment aid and preferred offers
• 🤝 Expand housing co‑ops, land trusts, and community ownership models
• 💰 Incentivize local ownership by taxing non-owner occupancy or setting owner-residency requirements

WyCo deserves a housing market that serves its residents—not investment portfolios. 🧱 Let’s demand policies that keep homes local and affordable.

📣 Have you seen homes in your neighborhood bought by investors or flipped quickly? Share your story—let’s build momentum for change.

#HousingJustice #KeepWyCoLocal #StopTheBuyOut #CommunityOwnership