Wood framing continues to dominate the U.S. single-family home construction market, according to NAHB analysis of 2025 Census Bureau data. In 2025, wood framing accounted for 94% of all completed
Higher mortgage rates, worsening labor shortages and rising material costs are weighing on builder sentiment. Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes fell three points to 32
The custom home premium, the difference between what typical buyers pay per square foot for a contractor-built home and a spec home, reached 12.6%, its highest level since 2011, according
Building a new single-family home took less time in 2025 compared to the previous three years. On average, it now takes 8.8 months from start to finish. That time includes
The share of new homes with patios dipped below 61% for the first time since 2019, according to NAHB tabulation of data from the Survey of Construction (conducted by the
Private residential construction spending fell further in July, marking its fourth consecutive monthly decline. According to the latest construction spending data from the U.S. Census Bureau, private residential construction spending
Home building trends diverged across geographies in the second quarter of 2026. According to the Home Building Geography Index (HBGI), single-family construction declined in nearly all geographic categories, although the
New single-family home size had been falling since 2015 in response to declining affordability conditions. An exception occurred in 2021, when new home size increased as interest rates reached historic
Elevated borrowing costs, rising inflation and broad economic uncertainty continue to curb buyer demand and hold back new home sales. Sales of newly built single-family homes declined 10.5% in July
Single-family built-for-rent (SFBFR, or built-to-rent (BTR)) construction fell back in the second quarter of 2026, as a higher cost of financing, increased multifamily supply and policy concerns over Congressional legislation
Second quarter 2026 data reveal softer conditions for townhouse construction as housing affordability challenges affect homebuyer demand, particularly in larger metropolitan markets. According to NAHB analysis of the most recent
With overall single-family construction down almost 7% for the first seven months of 2026, custom home building has been a relative bright spot for the residential construction industry. The custom
Builder sentiment remains muted from economic and geopolitical uncertainty, elevated mortgage rates and rising construction costs. Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes inched up one point
Following a multi-year run of record highs, the national median lot value for single-family detached spec homes largely stabilized in 2025. According to NAHB’s analysis of the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC), the
Affordability challenges continued to weigh on the new-home market in June, as elevated mortgage rates, rising inflation and broader economic uncertainty kept many prospective buyers on the sidelines. Sales of
The long-term shift toward building single-family detached homes on smaller lots appears to have stabilized. According to the latest Survey of Construction (SOC), the share of new homes built on
Economic uncertainty and persistent affordability challenges driven by rising material prices, high land costs, and elevated mortgage rates continue to weigh on builder sentiment. Builder confidence in the market for
Persistently high mortgage rates, elevated costs for builders, and ongoing supply-side constraints continued to weigh on single-family construction in 2025. According to the NAHB analysis of the 2025 Survey of