The Real Reason Next Gen Buyers Won't Call You

In this episode of Mortgage Marketing Radio, host Katie Shive sits down with Kristen Messerly, co-founder and executive director of First Home IQ, to unpack the findings of the 2026 Next Gen Home Buyer Report. The conversation reveals that the biggest barrier to homeownership for millennials and Gen Z isn't just affordability—it's a deep-seated lack of trust in the system, pervasive misinformation, and emotional overwhelm. Despite access to vast information through AI and online platforms, many next-gen buyers feel paralyzed, with 60% believing the housing system is rigged before even speaking to a loan officer. Kristen shares how trauma-informed care principles from her social work background inform her approach to mortgage education, emphasizing empathy, safety, and storytelling as tools to build trust. She highlights practical strategies for loan officers, such as asking 'What keeps you up at night?' to open emotional doors, showing up in communities, and using authentic personal stories to connect. The episode also explores how Reddit and real consumer voices can inform marketing and content creation, and promotes First Home IQ’s ambassador program, advocacy efforts, and free resources designed to empower loan officers as community educators. The mission is clear: close the education and trust gap through systemic, industry-wide collaboration. Key takeaways include: 1) Trust is the primary barrier—not rates or down payments; 2) Loan officers should lead with empathy and personal storytelling to reduce overwhelm; 3) Use real consumer voices (like from Reddit) to create relatable, high-impact content; 4) Join First Home IQ’s free workshops to access tools and become an ambassador; 5) Advocate locally and nationally to influence policy and build credibility. The episode ends with a strong call to action: every loan officer can make a difference by teaching, showing up, and sharing their 'why.'