Supporting Future Homeowners Alongside the MBA
We often ask children to imagine what their future may look like. But all too often, the path to their dreams is unclear.
The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) introduced the Princess Mackie Book Challenge to help bridge that gap. The challenge focuses on Princess Mackie Buys a House by Twala Lockett-Jones, an illustrated book that educates children on the steps of buying a home.
With a goal of members donating 10,000 copies total, the MBA is encouraging giving young children a fun, age-appropriate introduction to homeownership. So far, 6,300 books have been purchased, with 1,000 of those being bought by Lennar Mortgage.
Promoting Financial Literacy Through Storytelling
Princess Mackie Buys a House tells the story of a young girl who dreams of buying a castle and works to make that dream come true. Along the way, her journey touches on many financial literacy topics that the audience can learn from, including budgeting, saving, goal-setting and generational wealth building.
“I was very intentional when writing the book of putting the steps to homeownership right inside the book. It’s outlined step by step, so any child can understand. And adults obviously can see that roadmap to homeownership.”
–Twala Lockett-Jones, author of Princess Mackie Buys A House
This book is designed to introduce these concepts to children who may not have seen examples of homeownership in their daily lives. It’s an imaginative story that seeks to both inspire and empower the next generation of homeowners.
Giving Back with Little Free Libraries
Access to books has been shown to influence children’s chance for success, both academically and personally.1 However, low-income families generally have much fewer children’s books at home – sometimes even none.1
Little Free Library is a nonprofit that focuses on making books more accessible and championing diverse books. Their 24/7 miniature libraries are placed right where community members need them: in community parks, near schools or wherever a volunteer is willing to host them. Community members are free to take or leave books as they please with no due dates and no library card.
We partnered with Little Free Library to create places where children’s books are available for free within communities in Maine. Our Associates assembled, decorated and stocked 8 Little Free Libraries which would later be installed in the surrounding area.
Lennar Mortgage purchased and donated copies of Princess Mackie Buys A House as part of this initiative, supporting both literacy and future homeownership within these communities.
Why Minority Homeownership Matters
Whether children see examples of homeownership often depends on the communities they grow up in. Even though rates of homeownership have generally increased over time, minority homeownership rates continue to be lower. In 2022, the Black homeownership rate (44.1%) and Hispanic homeownership rate (51.1%) were significantly lower than the White homeownership rate (72.3%).2
Lower household incomes, less access to credit and heightened affordability challenges may contribute to the lower homeownership rate among minority groups.2 The Princess Mackie Challenge addresses yet another hurdle homebuyers face: financial literacy. Understanding what’s required to qualify for a mortgage is an important part of buying a home. By introducing some of these concepts and giving children a character they can relate to, Princess Mackie Buys a House puts an exciting spin on financial literacy.
Why We Give Back
Creating Little Free Libraries in Maine and donating copies of Princess Mackie Buys A House are both examples of Lennar Mortgage's Focused Acts of Caring. MBA’s Princess Mackie Book Challenge perfectly aligns with our mission as a company, our Associates’ professional backgrounds and our goal to give back to the communities we serve.
We’re creating the world’s simplest path to homeownership – a path that often starts with education and financial literacy. As a company, we work to empower our Customers to make informed financial decisions and find solutions that help them accomplish their dreams. This includes one-on-one guidance between Loan Officers and Customers, free resources provided on our website and taking advantages of opportunities to give back like this one.
We sincerely thank all the Associates who took the time to participate in this initiative. By donating their time and sharing their kindness, they’re empowering today’s children and inspiring tomorrow’s homeowners!
Sources:
¹Access to Books, Scholastic
²2024 Snapshot of Race and Home Buying in America, National Association of REALTORS® Research Group
Models/lifestyle photos do not reflect racial or ethnic preference. Lennar Mortgage, LLC - NMLS # 1058. Copyright © 2024 Lennar Corporation and Lennar Mortgage, LLC. All rights reserved. Lennar, the Lennar logo, Lennar Mortgage and the Lennar Mortgage logo are U.S. registered service marks or service marks of Lennar Corporation and/or its subsidiaries.