Create homeowners. That's the mission behind the Kansas City Land Bank's latest campaign to rid the city of blight and vacant houses.
The Land Bank's initiative includes a list of houses that are available for purchase for $999.
On Valentine's Day city inspectors opened two of the 50 homes on the list to give potential homebuyers a sneak peak at the Land Bank's $999 homes.
Marquon Morton stopped by one of the houses located at 5732 Wabash Ave.
"It's a lot of things that need to be done," said Morton. "It could make a person a lot of money if they invest in the right ways."
Land Bank executive director Ted Anderson says the 50 houses now up for sale are the best the Land Bank has to offer.
"We want to increase homeownership in the center city. That can't do anything but good things for the center city." said Anderson.
Donovan Gordon snapped pictures and toured both homes that were open for inspection on Tuesday. The 25 year-old looks forward to buying his own home and investing in the city of Kansas City. And despite the trash on the floors and missing windows, he's optimistic that he'll find a good deal through the Land Bank.
"Of the two houses, this one definitely looks better. The foundation is solid compared to that other one. I'm looking to start investing in Kansas City because I know Kansas City is a hotspot and it's up and coming," said Gordon.
Residents who are interested in purchasing a home should begin by completing an individual offer form available online. The completed form should be submitted to Land Bank, located at 4900 Swope Parkway, 2nd Floor.
Potential homeowners should expect to spend between $20,000 to $35,000 to bring one of these homes up to code. Most homes will require major repairs including, roofs, windows, doors, major electrical, plumbing and HVAC repairs.
A open house schedule is available here. If you're interested in a house the application must be in by April 30.
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Lisa Benson can be reached at lisa.benson@kshb.com.
