Spring is traditionally the busiest period for new home sales. Families hope that signing a contract to build a new house will have them inside a home in time for the new school year.
North Texans will build 30,000 new homes this year, but here's the challenge: There are not enough construction workers to get the job done.
"It's the workers who pour concrete, the framers, the roofers, the masons who put the brick on the house," said Ted Wilson with the Dallas-based consulting firm Residential Strategies. "We haven't had enough of those workers who are out there."
How bad is the labor shortage?
"We're probably about 50,000 jobs behind in our estimation in the Dallas area," said Phil Crone, the Executive Officer of the Dallas Builders Association.
Buyers in the market today are discovering the labor shortage means their home, sweet, home will take longer and cost more.
"Typically in the past, it would take about four months for the average house to get built, and today it's taking six to seven months," said Wilson, "Likewise, too, because of the shortage of workers, we're seeing price increases."
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
"At least $4,000 in extra cost just in terms of the labor shortage alone," added Crone.
Industry experts like Crone and Wilson point to two main reasons for the lack of labor: Construction workers left the home building industry after the last housing crisis, and workers south of the border are staying put due to an improving economy in Mexico and enhanced border security.
"There's a big help wanted sign right in front of this entire industry," said Crone.
Crone believe that help is in the area's high schools.
"Bring back shop class," said Crone. "That's really what we need. Our greatness as American has been defined by the ability to build things and manufacture things. And we're gonna beat this labor shortage that way, too."
Part of the next generation workforce may be at WW Samuell High School in the Dallas Independent School District, where is one of the school's specialty programs. When these kids graduate, the new home industry has a place for them.
"If you have a really good work ethic, and you really want to show up on time, interested in one of these jobs, there's one waiting for you without a doubt," said Crone.
"The salaries for what these workers are making has grown incredibly," added Wilson.
Yet even with the challenges tied to the labor shortage, Wilson says Dallas-Fort Worth remains the hottest home market in the country.
"We've had an amazing run," said Wilson. "We're leading the country with respect to new home starts. The job growth in North Texas is fueling the demand for this market, so it's very good."
