Today we’d like to introduce you to onaje barnes
Hi onaje, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I grew up in Houston’s 3rd Ward as the 3rd child of four to a single mom. My journey began at Jack Yates Senior High School, where I graduated as Salutatorian. During my time there, I received numerous scholarships and accolades, including induction into the National Honor Society and founding the GPhiG “Gents” chapter.
From there I was able to attend the University of Texas at Austin on full academic scholarship, earning a degree in Economics in 2003. While at UT, I held several leadership positions, such as President of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. and President of the Black Student Alliance, which were significant experiences in my personal growth and community involvement.
My love for Houston and 3rd Ward always remained so upon graduation, I started my career in retail as an Associate Buyer at Foley’s Department stores. I moved up the corporate ladder quickly but in 2006, I faced a major setback when I was laid off at 26 due to the company being Bought out by Macy’s. This experience was a wake-up call, teaching me that corporations prioritize their interests, so I needed to prioritize mine. I realized that my financial future was my responsibility. Its not a corporation’s job to make me rich or provide for my retirement. This led me start to learn about Real Estate, so in 2008 right at the beginning of the financial crisis I bought my first house. Five years later, I owned nine homes, and today, I’m on my third apartment complex.
My Real Estate portfolio consists of over 50 doors including affordable housing units and my most rewarding property called Th3 Escape which is a Boutique Hotel located in the Heart of 3rd Ward on Emancipation Avenue. Th3 Escape overs a entry point to Houston for Traveling professionals, people looking to relocate and Weekend Getaways. Our Central location allows us to serve various different types of travelers with our 8 uniquely designed Themed rooms. Such as the Music Room which features design elements of some of Houston’s most acclaimed artists.
Coming from humble beginnings, Its been a honor to take a once run down property previously owned by slumb-lords and make it to a destination that brings tourists to 3rd Ward that support local business.
Follow me on social media: @onajebarnes
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely has not been a smooth road, being a landlord can be tough dealing with difficult tenants, renovations, and natural disasters. One of my hardest and rewarding struggles was during Hurricane Harvey. 2 of my properties took on 18 inches of water and neither of my tenants had any where to go and I did not have flood insurance. Thinking about my tenants first , I just opened up a credit card and went to work. I am proud to say that we were the first people in the entire neighborhood to finish our renovations and my tenants were able to move back into newly renovated properties. One of my tenants is still with me to this day.
The eventual appreciation in value & equity of those properties eventually provided the funds for me to buy Th3 Escape.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Th3 Escape?
Featuring one of “Houston’s Top 10 Murals “Th3 Escape Boutique Hotel is centrally located in the Heart of 3rd Ward on Emancipation Avenue. We have been operation for over 3 years featuring 8 uniquely Themed 1 bed room 1bath apartments.
We are not your normal stale Airbnb property. Our rooms were designed to accommodate all types of travelers such as Weekend vacationers to people looking to relocate to Houston that need month 2 month accommodations while they figure out what part of town they want to permanently live in. We pride ourselves on saying ” just bring yourselves, clothes and we have the rest covered” by offering amenities such as Fast WIFI, fully equipped kitchens, free parking and even forgotten toothbrushes.
Each room was carefully curated by the owner with love with unique peace’s that highlights the rich culture of Houston. We invite you to Escape into another world or time in one of our rooms:
The Music Room
Color Me H-Town
Chic Retreat
Wine Me Down
The Flower Room
Retro Baby
Golden Vibes
Vintage Getaway
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
For anyone getting started in Real estate , my advice is to not go at it alone, find a tribe of like minded individuals or a coach with a proven track record.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://berealestates.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/th3escape
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/th3Escape?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@onajebarnes.?si=gLdAPubJ9iOXlhbS
Image Credits
Rashid Tillis -Right Time Media
