Wherever Simone Biles goes, headlines follow. That’s just the nature of being one of the most iconic athletes of our time. But at the 2025 Kentucky Derby, she didn’t just turn heads; she reminded everyone that even in the glitz and glamor of a red carpet, she’s still just trying to build a life like the rest of us. In a sea of celebrities and race-day pageantry, Simone showed up with her husband, NFL star Jonathan Owens, looking every bit like royalty, and left having shared something surprisingly personal.
The couple arrived at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, wearing perfectly coordinated lilac outfits that were impossible to miss. Simone looked stunned in a strapless mini dress covered in purple rhinestones, silver heels, and a dramatic fascinator that screamed elegance. Owens, now a safety for the Chicago Bears, matched her effortlessly in an embroidered lilac jacket, crisp white pants, sneakers, and a rhinestone hat to top it off.
It was glam, no doubt. But just as the cameras flashed, and the crowd admired their look, the moment took a sharp and slightly awkward turn. While speaking with PEOPLE on May 3, Biles was unexpectedly asked about something that had nothing to do with fashion or the Derby. The question? How the home-building process was going back in Texas.
Not exactly red carpet small talk, but Simone Biles took it in stride. She opened up about the journey she and Jonathan have been on since 2023, building their dream home together. It’s been a true team effort… minus a few unexpected hurdles — yes, courtesy of the HOA, of all things! “Only the [homeowner association] has vetoed a lot of stuff,” Simone admitted when asked if she and Jonathan had disagreed on any design choices during their home-building process.
Turns out, the problem wasn’t between them — it was the HOA. For anyone unfamiliar, the homeowners’ association (HOA) is a local governing body that exists in many residential neighborhoods to enforce community rules and architectural guidelines as well as property standards. They oversee everything from lawn care to exterior paint colors — all in the name of keeping the neighborhood uniform and “in line” with the community’s image.
But in Simone Biles’s case, it sounds like the HOA has been a bit too involved. Well, can you blame them? It’s a $3 million custom mansion. Despite the pushback, Simone said she and Jonathan have worked together well through it all. “But other than that, I mean, I think we’ve done a good job of what we wanted our house to look like,” she added.
It’s not just about picking tiles or deciding on countertops. It shows the kind of partnership Simone Biles and Jonathan have built. She didn’t frame it like a celebrity power couple flaunting another big project; she made it sound real. Two people building a home together, compromising, figuring it out, and dealing with real-world obstacles. And yes, like any couple with a dream home under construction, they’re playing the waiting game. “Hopefully we’ll be able to move in soon,” she added.
“We were supposed to be in before the Olympics, and unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. So we’re just waiting for the weather to die down. We’re just… We’ll see.” That pause—“we’ll see”—says it all. Between the glamor, the coordinating outfits, and the Derby fanfare, Simone offered something refreshingly real: the truth that even Olympic champions deal with delays, setbacks, and unfinished plans. The dream house still isn’t done, and this isn’t the first time it’s hit a bump in the road.
Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens’ dream home journey
Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens have had quite the rollercoaster while building their dream home in Texas. Back in 2023, Simone shared a trouble. Imagine this: what was supposed to be a quick 30-minute “trim walk” turned into a six-hour ordeal! Simone shared her frustration online, saying, “I thought it was going to be a 30-minute thing because I had no clue what I was walking into.”
And that’s not all—yellow stains on the grout of their floor tiles had Simone almost throwing in the towel, exclaiming, “I cannot deal anymore.” Then, of course, weather delays got in the way, pushing back their timeline for moving in. They’d hoped to be settled before the Olympics, but now it looks like they’ll have to wait a little longer. Despite the challenges, the home is taking shape beautifully.
The couple’s vision includes a two-story design with a game room, home theater, wet bar, and a balcony overlooking a lake. Interior highlights feature black-and-white marble countertops, a spacious walk-in closet, and a laundry room equipped with multiple washing machines and dryers. An in-ground pool with a lake view and a three-car garage are also part of the plans.
