Hank Helton-Realtor/Broker

I've even told my grandkids that if they want to get into the trades as opposed to going to college, I'd back them 100%. As a fairly-good DIY'er myself, I've learned so much from watching the pros do what they do and have huge respect for all who do it with integrity and precision. I've also watched many a solo contractor wield their venture into a thriving company. Whether working in the trades for a company, going solo as a sub contractor or general contractor or building a business built from being in the trades, it's an honorable and satisfying way to make a living.

This one from Realtor dot Com today:

Gen Z Ditching 4-Year College for Trades—Here's How It Could Shift the First-Time Homebuyer Market As Gen Z increasingly avoids heavy student loan debt by choosing trade schools over bachelor's degrees, this shift could accelerate their timeline to homeownership.

Link below my comments/observations/opinions from Realtor.com, hot off the presses...03/03/2026.
Well folks, seems like the same old story. Inventory is low. IMHO, the main cause has been the higher-than-perceived interest rates for mortgages (Anecdotal comment here with real-life history as support: my wife and I purchased our first home in 1990 and our APR was a whopping 13%! We were happy to get a foothold...) which is causing everyone, not just older homeowners to stay put. This has caused a bottleneck in lateral and upward movement, further exacerbating the supply on the middle and lower end of the market for (especially) first-time buyers. And on NPR yesterday, I heard the dreaded word "stagflation" for the first time in nearly 20 years.
https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/millennials-gen-z-households-housing-market-supply-gap-report/?cid=eml__1946:66e221571a4446d4e6969d41:rm202603031130_Marketing_Consumer_Daily_EditorialRSSDynamic

The 1.8 Million 'Missing' Households: Why Gen Z and Millennials Vanished From the Housing Market in 2025 The U.S. housing market is missing nearly 2 million households as a widening supply gap and high costs force young adults to delay independence.

An interesting read from the online Realtor.com newsletter: https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/housing-markets-to-benefit-falling-mortgage-rates/?cid=eml__1946:66e221571a4446d4e6969d41:rm202602231130_Marketing_Consumer_Daily_EditorialRSSDynamic

The Housing Markets Positioned To 'Unlock' Fast if Mortgage Rates Plunge As mortgage rates hit a three-year low, five metros where the "lock-in effect" is weakest are primed for a robust housing market rebound.

If you see this young lady out and about, please be sure to welcome her as one of those special people who are the newest homeowners in our hometown, Springfield, IL. Congratulations, Tish Gordon & thanks so much for bringing me along another wild ride!!