Dave Savage: Why Trust Is the Real Barrier to Homeownership

Why It Matters

Rebuilding trust is essential for sustaining mortgage demand and ensuring the next generation can participate in homeownership, which underpins long‑term economic stability.

Key Takeaways

• Trust gap significantly hinders Gen Z homeownership aspirations
• First Home IQ aims to educate and empower future buyers
• Mortgage professionals must shift from transaction to guidance role
• Story‑driven marketing and celebrating early buyers rebuild confidence
• Perceived investment risk rises despite homeownership’s dream status

Summary

The Powerhouse interview with mortgage veteran Dave Savage focused on the growing trust deficit that is preventing Gen Z and millennials from seeing homeownership as attainable. Savage, co‑founder of the First Home IQ initiative, argued that the barrier extends beyond rates, inventory and affordability, centering on whether the next generation believes they can actually buy a home.

Data from the sixth‑annual NextGen Homebuyer Report highlighted a stark divergence: while eight‑in‑ten young adults still view homeownership as essential to the American Dream, a growing share doubt it is a sound investment. Savage linked this skepticism to broader institutional distrust amplified by COVID‑era price spikes and the perception that the system favors older, affluent buyers.

Savage illustrated his point with personal anecdotes—teaching underserved college students how to map career paths to mortgage options and urging loan officers to abandon rent‑shaming in favor of story‑driven marketing. He emphasized celebrating early buyers, tracking how many families each professional helps, and using real‑world narratives to shift mindsets.

The implication for the mortgage industry is clear: to revive home‑buying pipelines, professionals must reposition themselves as trusted guides rather than mere transaction facilitators. By fostering financial literacy, highlighting achievable pathways, and humanizing the buying process, lenders can rebuild confidence and unlock a new wave of first‑time owners.

Original Description

In this episode of Power House, Zeb Lowe sits down with Dave Savage, co-founder of FirstHome IQ, to discuss a challenge that could shape the future of housing: preparing the next generation for homeownership.

Drawing on insights from the NextGen Homebuyer Report, Savage explains why many younger buyers feel both overwhelmed by the process and disconnected from the mortgage industry. He argues that the solution isn’t more marketing—it’s education, storytelling, and leadership from housing professionals willing to guide buyers earlier in their journey.

The conversation explores how lenders can engage Gen Z before they’re ready to transact, the growing role of parents in homeownership, and why rebuilding trust will be critical to expanding access in the years ahead.

Related to the episode:

Zeb Lowe’s LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/zebulon-lowe-a02353a4/

Dave Savage’s LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/davesavage/

First Home IQ

https://firsthomeiq.com/

The Power House podcast brings the biggest names in housing to answer hard-hitting questions about industry trends, operational and growth strategy, and leadership. Join HousingWire’s Zeb Lowe every Thursday morning for candid conversations with industry leaders to learn how they’re differentiating themselves from the competition. Hosted and produced by the HousingWire Content Studio.