People will be able to buy a share in a house for as little as $100 with a new investment platform launched today that promises to break down the barriers to home ownership.

Housies, founded by entrepreneurs Ricky Jack, James Jordan and Paul Sadler, will allow investors to buy shares in a house and receive returns from rental income or long-term capital growth.

Tom Hartmann, personal finance lead at Sorted.org, told the Herald his advice to people was to “do your research” before jumping in.

“In general, what it’s doing is, it’s opening up residential property as an asset class to retail investors,” Hartmann said.

“What we would recommend is having a strategic view.

“A strategic view really helps to understand what kind of investor you are, what kind of time horizon you have, what kind of appetite for risk you want to take on, and overall, it really needs to align with what you want to achieve, your goals.”

With its launch this morning, Housies has eight properties open for investment.

And investors will live in the properties, which is what James Jordan, the chief executive, says makes Housies unique.

“An investor who owns at least 2% of the home will live in it, and they will pay a 4% occupation licence fee on the portion they don’t own,” he said.

New investment platfrom Housies was founded by Auckland entrepreneurs James Jordan (chief executive), Ricky Jack (chief medical officer) and Paul Sadler (chief operating officer). Photo / Supplied

“Our model means a homeowner is in the property, and that ensures the property is cared for and looked after,” he said.

“There is no model like this in the world. Housies is an all-encompassing solution to get more Kiwis into homes, while others are able to invest to create equity for their future.”

Jordan described the platform as “levelling the playing field”.

The minimum investment amount is $100. Investors will be able to monitor their portfolios using an online dashboard, through which they can buy and sell shares and get updates.

“This is about putting the power of property back in the hands of everyday Kiwis,” Jordan said.

“We’re effectively banding people together to buy a property, allowing them to buy a slice of a house and grow from there.”

He said it was a “great option” for new home buyers or people wanting to diversify their investments. And while similar models are working overseas, Jordan said “our model and our team ... sets Housies apart”.

“We’ve built a robust platform and assembled a team which truly understands the market,” he said.

“Every New Zealander should have the opportunity to participate in property ownership. This tool is opening the door to a more flexible way to enter the property market.”

Founder Ricky Jack said he “literally had the idea while I was in the shower” three and a half years ago.

“It felt impossible to buy a home on a single income, so I was thinking about investing some money in a friend’s property. I thought there should be an easier way to do it, and that was the genesis of Housies.”

Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers business, breaking news and local stories from Tāmaki Makaurau. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.