Overcoming the Odds: Builder is Focused on affordable, accessible homeownership in urban areas, especially for Black communities.

Strawberry Letter

iHeartPodcasts

Relationships, Society & Culture

4.4 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 26 November 2025

⏱️ 38 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Two-time Emmy and three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Booker T. Washington.

🎯 Purpose of the Interview

To spotlight Booker T. Washington’s innovative work in real estate development—specifically his creation of micro home communities in Atlanta—and to inspire underserved communities to pursue homeownership as a path to wealth, stability, and empowerment.

🧭 Key Takeaways 1. Vision Behind Teche Homes

Teche Homes builds micro home communities (not tiny homes) ranging from 400–1000 sq ft.
Focused on affordable, accessible homeownership in urban areas, especially for Black communities.
Projects aim to revitalize blighted neighborhoods and promote reverse gentrification.

2. Flagship Projects

South Park Cottages: 29 homes on 2.8 acres in College Park, GA. Sold out before construction.
Union Park Cottages: 26 homes + coffee shop in Union City, GA. First mixed-use micro home community in the U.S.
Upcoming: The Park at Brawley in partnership with Killer Mike and Shay Render.

3. Affordability & Impact

Average home price: $180K–$220K.
Average buyer: 40 years old, $80K+ income.
Mortgage: ~$1,800/month—comparable to rent in metro areas.
Emphasis on ownership over renting to build generational wealth.

4. Community Features

Full-size appliances, smart home tech (e.g., palm readers, motion lights).
Shared amenities: gardens, grills, walking paths.
No garages—shared parking to maximize land use.

5. Social Mission

Tackles systemic issues: housing inequality, food deserts, underfunded schools.
Generates tax revenue to support local services (e.g., teachers, police).
Promotes “pride of ownership” and community uplift.

6. National Raffle

$250 entry for a chance to win a fully furnished $250K home.
Proceeds support down payment assistance and homeownership education.
Winner announced Christmas Eve.

💬 Notable Quotes

“You’re not locked out. You’ve just been stifled with a vision of home availability that you don’t know you can get.”
“We call it reverse gentrification.”
“You can’t allow your dreams to just sit inside of you… they’re God dreams.”
“We took a $150K piece of dirt and turned it into $6.3M of real estate value.”
“Faith without works is dead. And we do a lot of non-work in some of these Black communities.”
“You’ve given away $240,000 in rent by age 37. That’s your down payment.”

🔗 Call to Action

Website: techie-homes.com
Instagram: @techiehomes | @mrbookert

#SHMS #STRAW #BEST

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is an IHeart podcast.
0:02.6	Guaranteed Human.
0:04.3	Hi, I'm Risham McDonnell.
0:05.5	I host this weekly Money Making Conversation Masterclass show.
0:08.6	The interviews and information that this show provides are for everyone.
0:12.0	It's time to start reading other people's success stories and start living your own.
0:16.5	Now, if you want to be a guest on my show, Money Making Conversations Masterclass,
0:20.3	please visit our website, Moneymaking Conversations Masterclass, please visit our website, Moneymakingconversations.com, and click the Be a Guest button if you
0:26.7	are a small business owner, entrepreneur, motivational speaker, influencer, or nonprofit.
0:32.2	Now, let's get to my guest.
0:33.9	My guest is an Atlanta-based real estate developer and founder of Techie Homes, the innovative company behind one of the city's most forward-thinking micro-community movements with more than $60 million in real estate development to date.
0:49.2	Please welcome to Moneymaking Conversation Masterclass, Booker T. Washington.
0:53.7	How you doing, sir? I'm doing great. How long have you been living with a name like Booker T. Washington. How you doing, sir?
0:54.3	I'm doing great.
0:55.4	How long you've been living with a name like Booker T. Washington, sir?
0:57.9	Oh, lifelong.
1:12.2	Lifelong, lifelong. I, you know, story from my name is Teleferro. So the Teleferro's in the middle, so it's Booker Telegel Farrell, Washington. born in Tuskegee, born on the campus of Tuskegee Institute, founded by Booker T. Washington.
1:29.8	And funny fact is, my brother's name is George Washington, Carver. Yeah, I love it. I respect that. Yeah, so my mom really, really set us out for... Historian. She's a historian. She's a historian. Yes, yep. She was an adjunct professor at Tuskegee, and she wanted us to try to achieve some greatness with those names.
1:33.0	Now, $60 million to date.
1:33.8	Yes, sir.
1:35.6	Tell us how that started.
1:36.3	Yes, sir.
	...

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