Why Starter Homes Are Disappearing
Ken McElroy Show
Ken McElroy
4.7 • 712 Ratings
🗓️ 6 February 2026
⏱️ 33 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Starter homes are vanishing, and it’s not because builders don’t want to help first-time buyers. Ken and Danille McElroy break down the real math behind shrinking home sizes, rising land costs, ADUs, build-to-rent communities, and what this shift means for buyers and investors right now.
• • •
If you're an accredited investor and are interested in learning about opportunities to invest with Ken, follow this link: https://mccompaniesinvest.com/knowmore
• • •
Checkout KenPro - Ken's Education Platform: https://ken-mcelroy.learnworlds.com
• • •
ABOUT KEN: Ken is the author of the bestselling books The ABC’s of Real Estate Investing, The Advanced Guide to Real Estate Investing, and The ABC’s of Property Management. With over two decades of experience in real estate investing, Ken McElroy is passionate about sharing the good life by helping real estate investors grow and prosper. This podcast is a place for Ken to discuss numerous topics connected to real estate investing, including finance, budgeting, the entrepreneur mindset, and creating passive income. Ken offers a wealth of personal experiences, practical advice, success stories, and even some informative setbacks, all presented here to educate and inspire. Whether you’re a new or seasoned investor, the information and resources on this channel will set you on a path where you and your investments can thrive.
Ken's company: https://mccompanies.com
• • •
DISCLAIMERS: Any information or advice available on this podcast is intended for educational and general guidance only. Ken McElroy and KenMcElroy.com, LLC shall not be liable for any direct, incidental, consequential, indirect, or punitive damages arising out of access to or use of any of the content available on this podcast. Consult a financial advisor or other wealth management professional before you make investments of any kind.
Although Ken McElroy and his affiliates take all reasonable care to ensure that the contents of this podcast are accurate and up-to-date, all information contained on it is provided ‘as is.’ Ken McElroy makes no warranties or representations of any kind concerning the accuracy or suitability of the information contained on this podcast. Any links to other websites are provided only as a convenience and KenMcElroy.com, LLC encourages you to read the privacy statements of any third-party websites. All comments will be reviewed by the KenMcElroy.com staff and may be deleted if deemed inappropriate.
Comments that are off-topic, offensive, or promotional will not be posted. The comments/posts are from members of the public and do not necessarily reflect the views of Ken McElroy and his affiliates.
© 2026 KenMcElroy.com, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | When you fly Emirates on business, you can relax from the start. |
| 0:04.3 | You get a complementary chauffeur-driven transfer from your door to the airport. |
| 0:08.5 | Then when you land, your chauffeur will be ready to take you wherever you want to go. |
| 0:13.1 | It's exclusive for Emirates First and business class travellers. |
| 0:16.7 | And with world-class service in the Emirates Lounge and exceptional comfort on board, it's just a better way to do business. |
| 0:23.8 | Book now on emirates.com. |
| 0:25.8 | Welcome to the Ken McElroy show. |
| 0:27.6 | Today we're going to be talking about the starter home and why currently you are not seeing a lot of them. |
| 0:33.2 | Yeah, so let's jump into starter homes like, like, Neil and I were having a debate right before this. And I said, let's save this. Let's save this. Because here's the thing. Like I've been through cycles. Like this youngster over here, she really hasn't. Although I think she would say she has. I haven't really been through a. Like, I went through the 70s. |
| 0:55.2 | I went through the crashes. |
| 0:56.7 | I went through the reserves. |
| 0:57.5 | But let me tell you one thing. |
| 0:59.8 | I will tell you this. |
| 1:01.1 | The home my parents bought in the 60s was like 1,400 square feet, 1,500 square feet. |
| 1:08.5 | My mom, my dad added on. |
| 1:14.5 | But here's the point. You start to look at when prices go up, and I know it's all relative, right? But prices went up during that period of time. |
| 1:19.9 | And what happens? They respond by building smaller homes. We have a debate because Ken thinks they're |
| 1:27.1 | going to start bringing back more starter homes where I feel like starter homes are going to be tough because I don't know if the math mask. |
| 1:35.8 | And thankfully, I don't do this on feelings. |
| 1:39.3 | What I do at odd is history. |
| 1:41.4 | So that's the big difference. |
| 1:43.3 | So here's the thing. Like it factually has happened. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Ken McElroy, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Ken McElroy and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.