“Here’s the state of play for housing heading into the latter part of 2026. The two weakest states coming into the year – Florida and Texas – have signs of life. In Florida, inventory is down and sales are up. In Texas, inventory is stable and Austin is quickly getting “less bad.”

Nationally, inventory levels are stable. There are still fewer homes for sale now than there were prior to the pandemic. Most of the North and Midwest never even had a slump and still don’t have enough homes. The rise in mortgage rates is holding back improvement but generally not making conditions worse.

Both homebuilders and apartment managers showed more optimism this quarter than they have in years. Builders have reason to believe incentives have finally peaked and profit margins have bottomed. For apartments, occupancy is up and there’s no glut of supply coming any time soon.

And at the high end of the market, stock market wealth means it doesn’t matter where mortgage rates are.

But pockets of weakness remain. Cities like Seattle are still struggling. The entry-level market remains tough. Some metros and submarkets have a glut of inventory. Affordability obviously remains challenging for people who aren’t already rich.

But the housing recession that began in early 2022 is over.”

From The Housing Frame.

“Quinn Reece, a paramedic with Hyde County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in North Carolina, is not your average first responder.

Recently, Reece responded to a 911 call about 20 minutes faster than an ambulance. The seemingly impossible feat was enabled by a unique aircraft that lifts off vertically like a helicopter but tilts forward to fly on fixed wings…

The BlackFly’s pilot controls—comrpising a joystick, digital displays, and fly-by-wire system—are designed to be simple enough that a new pilot could master them within weeks or days. Pivotal said Hyde County paramedics completed more than 300 training and proficiency flights before Reece used the BlackFly to respond to real emergency calls under public aircraft operations (PAO).

The partners believe Hyde County is first in the nation to deploy eVTOL aircraft for real-world EMS. Officials dispatched the BlackFly for two calls, allowing Reece to begin advanced life support (ALS) while she and the caller waited for an ambulance.”

From FLYING Magazine.

“An automated external defibrillator (AED) delivered by Everdrone’s drone system was used in response to a confirmed out-of-hospital cardiac arrest involving a man in his 60s in Borås, Sweden, on 19 July 2026…

The drone flies autonomously to the emergency location and delivers the AED by lowering it on a winch from an altitude of approximately 30 metres. In suspected cardiac arrest cases, the drone is dispatched automatically in parallel with the ambulance. Photo: Everdrone AB

Following an emergency call to SOS Alarm, the drone was dispatched from its local base in Borås and delivered the AED directly to the scene prior to ambulance arrival. Bystanders immediately started CPR and attached the AED with guidance and support from the emergency dispatcher. The AED analysed the patient’s heart rhythm, and a defibrillation shock was delivered. The subsequent medical response was provided by the ambulance service and the other emergency responders.”

From Air Cargo Week.

“Tampa General Hospital (TGH) today announced the launch of the nation's first EMS-driven drone delivery program for pre-hospital whole blood delivery. The initiative will decrease the amount of time needed to deliver lifesaving blood directly to the scene of traumatic injuries, offering patients a better chance at survival.

The emergency drone logistics systems and services are provided by Archer First Response Systems and operated by Hillsborough County Fire Rescue. When a 9-1-1 call involves an incident with severe blood loss, dispatch will direct emergency responders to the scene who can simultaneously call for deployment of a drone equipped with whole blood. The two drone systems are expected to cover a combined 70-square-mile area, delivering the lifesaving blood to the scene in under three minutes on average. First responders can begin transfusions, if needed, immediately on scene, well before the patient arrives at the hospital.”

From PR Newswire.