Meet Roberta Hoskie, a real estate millionaire, and an author. Hoskie was homeless and lived in abject poverty while growing up in New Haven. However, her situation changed when she had her first child at the age of 18.
She survived on welfare earnings of $417 a month. When she turned 20, Hoskie took up an internship role at Yale University and subsequently took advantage of a first-time home buyer’s program offered by the school. Little did she know that the program will jump-start her career in real estate. She purchased her first home at Norton Street in New Haven in the 1990s for $88,000.
She renovated the house and had it appraised and it was valued at $300,000. She sold the property and got quite a decent profit from the transaction. Following the success of her first sale, she was motivated to continue to make smart investments in the real estate sector.
This led her to establish her own real estate firm, Outreach Property Management, in 2004 despite having little experience in the sector. She is now perhaps one of the most experienced real estate entrepreneurs in the U.S.
“It wasn’t planned that way, it just happened,” said Hoskie, according to New Haven Register. “It’s amazing that I can look out of my window and see the first property I purchased; it’s humbling and a reminder of how far I’ve come.”
She is also the author of “Poverty Curse Broken: The Roberta Hoskie Story.” The book has one message, which is “nothing is impossible.” The book seeks to inspire others to aim for greatness regardless of their circumstances.
The real estate entrepreneur attended Gateway Community College, where she obtained an associate’s degree in office administration. She continued to Quinnipiac University to study business management. While in school, the African-American entrepreneur continued to buy, rehab, and sell houses.
Aside from buying, rehabbing, and selling properties, Hoskie is also determined to help others break the cycle of poverty, particularly those in New Haven. According to a report by Data Haven, the poverty rate in New Haven is around 27 percent.
“I know first hand about poverty and what many in the city are going through,” said Hoskie, “that’s why I started the real estate school.”
“The school was started during a time when people were complaining that there were no jobs in the city; I wanted to help people create jobs with the opportunity to use real estate,” she said.
She has also Ms. Millionaire Mindset online seminars and Ms. Millionaire Mindset Academy with the sole aim of teaching others about real estate investment. “It’s changing lives,” said Hoskie. “Whether it’s the vehicle of real estate or a vehicle of hope, it’s changing lives.”
