This has been a difficult year for the housing market in Geary County.

That was an assessment during the Chamber’s Economic Development Commission Advisory Committee meeting in Junction City.

One realtor / developer Gary Schoenrock said in his 40 years here it is the second or third worst year for real estate vacancies. He stated that there have never been this number of vacancies. “It’s been a tough year, lots of rentals on the market. The numbers we heard from new home construction, have from what we had last year, but hopefully we’ll get through this in good shape.”

Other discussion from EDC members and staff included the fact there are not the numbers of people coming in to Fort Riley, people are still being deployed, and a number of single family homes are having to be rented.

There was some hope the return of the Combat Aviation Brigade in the first quarter of next year would help the market.