Items Tagged with 'housing market'

Builder confidence held steady in September, but falling mortgage rates and expected Fed cuts lifted future sales expectations, NAHB/Wells Fargo index shows.

Single-family home building fell in most regions in Q2 2025, led by metro suburbs. Multifamily starts rose in smaller markets, NAHB data show.

Confidence in the multifamily housing market showed tentative signs of improvement in the second quarter, with builder sentiment rising modestly year-over-year despite persistent challenges from high interest rates and construction costs, according to the latest National Association of Home Builders survey. 

Foreign buyers acquired $56 billion worth of U.S. homes in the past year—a 33% surge that marks the first increase since 2017, with international purchasers paying a record-high median price of $494,400.

U.S. housing starts fell sharply in May, dropping 9.8% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.26 million units, driven primarily by a steep decline in multifamily construction amid persistent economic headwinds.

New home sales jumped 10.9% in April to 743,000 units despite high interest rates and construction costs. Home builders call it an anomaly, with 61% now offering sales incentives. Year-to-date sales still down 1.2% as industry faces ongoing economic uncertainty.

Houzz's 2025 summer trends report reveals homeowners embracing "color drenching" (up 4x) and light hardwood flooring (up 5x). Wood paneling, vintage aesthetics, and warm metal accents dominate interior searches as homeowners prioritize bold, personal design choices that blend creativity with functionality.

The typical home purchased in America reached a record median age of 36 years in 2024, nine years older than in 2012, according to Redfin. A construction shortage since 2008's financial crisis forces buyers into older properties, with Buffalo homes averaging 69 years old versus just six years in Provo.

Growing economic uncertainty stemming from tariff concerns and elevated building material costs kept builder sentiment in negative territory in April, despite a modest bump in confidence likely due to a slight retreat in mortgage interest rates in recent weeks.

Houzz's Q2 2025 Renovation Barometer reveals tempered optimism among construction and design professionals following a mixed Q1. Rising material costs, client caution, and labor shortages are compounding concerns over impending tariffs, prompting businesses to adjust strategies accordingly.