Anniversaries mark important milestones. The first anniversary of welcoming Owner-Residents into Key is a wonderful celebration for our business and also for the amazing community of people we have helped become owners. Key helped our first Owner-Resident move into his home in January, 2021 as part of a beta program. We now have 45 people living in 25 homes across Toronto and benefitting from the many financial and social benefits of homeownership. We also launched in Alberta earlier this month and we’re excited to continue growing our community as we expand into more North American markets later this year.

Positively Impacting People’s Lives.

The inaccessibility of homeownership is a significant and growing global issue. Today, owning a home is unaffordable for 75% of Canadians. It’s even worse in large Canadian cities like Toronto. In the US, 88% of renters are worried about being able to own a home one day. Key is making the dream of homeownership a reality again for people locked out of owning. Our community of Owner-Residents living in Key homes ranges in age from 24 to their mid-fifties. They represent how the “missing middle” has become the “missing majority” of people unable to own.86% of our Owner-Residents are first-time homeowners, who weren’t able to get on the property ladder until they learned of Key’s patent-pending model. Instead of spending the 28 years it now takes to save enough for the typical 20% down payment in Toronto, they were able to start owning and building home equity many years sooner with Key.

Key accelerated the paths to homeownership for our Owner-Residents by a minimum of ten years each.

Our Owner-Residents demonstrate the breadth of the need for innovative new models. Today, the majority of people are locked out of owning homes the traditional way. Our Owner-Residents come from diverse backgrounds and professions, including a teacher, social worker, software developers, accountants, an architect, three entrepreneurs, a nurse, a lab technician, and several newcomers to Canada, along with people working in the hospitality, finance, tech and entertainment industries.

Creating a Diverse and Inclusive Community of Owner-Residents.

50% of our Owner-Residents are single, they’re equally split between women and men. 36% are couples and 14% are young families. Our community speaks 10 different languages. 23% are first-generation Canadians, with many being the first in their families to own a home.38% of our Owner-Residents are diverse citizens (across race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation & religion).One of our Owner-Residents is a lovely Muslim family, who weren't able to own a home the traditional way for religious reasons. Now, with Key, the parents and their three young daughters have a place to call home and to start building equity.It’s easy to see why one of the most satisfying aspects of my role with Key is helping turn renters into owners. With traditional real estate no longer serving the needs of so many people, it’s rewarding to help aspiring first time home buyers who had given up on ever owning realize their dreams.

Turning the stress of moving into delight.

I’ve had the pleasure of selling more than half of our Owner-Residents their homes. Hearing their stories and struggles trying to get into the housing market fuels my passion for the change we’re driving with Key’s patent-pending model.

I’ve also created a curated on-boarding experience that takes the process of moving from being one of life’s greatest stressors to a hassle-free experience filled with happy surprises. For many of our first Owner-Residents, this included taking my roll-up my sleeves approach to a whole new level by personally helping them move into their new homes. We surprise Owner-Residents when they arrive at their new homes on moving day with memorable little touches. They’re greeted by a welcome kit with everything from wine glasses, and cutting board to a tote bag and t-shirts. We also have food on hand so they can stay nourished as they start to unpack and settle in. I’ve now retired my Key mover role and handed the reigns to our wonderful Community Team, Brianna and Lisa. Celebrating Key’s first anniversary of turning renters into owners is highly rewarding. The need for innovative approaches to homeownership is significant, growing, and global. So, I look forward to many more anniversaries and welcoming many more amazing Owner-Residents into our community.