Single-family construction declined in the second quarter of 2025 for almost all tracked markets, according to the NAHB Home Building Geography Index (HBGI). Meanwhile, multifamily construction continued to expand in low population density markets, which have shown remarkable strength due to for-sale affordability challenges. The...
The percentage of new apartment units that were absorbed within three months after completion rose in the second quarter, according to the Census Bureau’s latest release of the Survey of Market Absorption of New Multifamily Units (SOMA). The survey covers new units in multifamily residential...
Average mortgage rates in August continued their steady decline and are now at their lowest rate since last November. According to Freddie Mac, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.59%, 13 basis points (bps) lower than July. Meanwhile, the 15-year rate declined 15 bps to 5.71%....
Wood framing continues to dominate the U.S. single-family home construction market, according to NAHB analysis of 2024 Census Bureau data. In 2024, wood framing accounted for 94% of all completed single-family homes, reinforcing its position as the leading construction method. Concrete-framed homes represented 5% of...
Despite historically low self-employment rates and the rising market share of top ten builders, residential construction remains an industry dominated by independent entrepreneurs, with nearly 80% of home builders and specialty trade contractor firms being self-employed independent contractors. Even among firms with paid employees, the...
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) conducts an annual member census to better understand the composition and characteristics of the people who belong to its organization. In 2024, 35% of NAHB’s membership was comprised of builder members—single-family and multifamily builders, residential and commercial remodelers,...
The missing middle construction sector includes development of medium-density housing, such as townhouses, duplexes and other small multifamily properties. The multifamily segment of the missing middle (apartments in 2- to 4-unit properties) has generally disappointed since the Great Recession. For the second quarter of 2025, there were...
High mortgage rates, rising construction costs and economic uncertainty continue to deter many potential home buyers during this summer season. Sales of newly built single-family homes edged 0.6% lower in July, falling to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 652,000 from an upwardly revised reading...
According to NAHB analysis of quarterly Census data, the count of multifamily, for-rent housing starts increased during the second quarter of 2025. For the quarter, 109,000 multifamily residences started construction. Of this total, 102,000 were built-for-rent. This built-for-rent total was 21% higher than the second...
While acknowledging that ongoing uncertainty complicates policymaking, Federal Reserve Chair Powell gave a mostly green light for monetary policy easing in September, following a policy pause that has lasted since the end of last year. Noting that inflation remains elevated, Powell stated that “the balance...
An expected impact of the virus crisis was a need for more residential space, as people used homes for more purposes including work. Home size correspondingly increased in 2021 as interest rates reached historic lows. However, as interest rates increased in 2022 and 2023, and...
Townhouse construction expanded more than 9 percent on a year-over-year basis per data from the second quarter of 2025. According to NAHB analysis of the most recent Census data of Starts and Completions by Purpose and Design, during the second quarter of 2025, single-family attached...
Existing home sales rebounded in July as mortgage rates retreated from the recent peak and home price growth slowed, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). This rebound was also supported by inventory improvements, with housing supply at its highest level since May 2020....
While new homes remain largely unaffordable, builder efforts to improve housing affordability paid dividends in the second quarter of 2025, according to the latest data from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Cost of Housing Index (CHI). The CHI results from the second...
Single-family built-for-rent construction fell back in the second quarter, as a higher cost of financing crowded out development activity. According to NAHB’s analysis of data from the Census Bureau’s Quarterly Starts and Completions by Purpose and Design, there were approximately 12,000 single-family built-for-rent (SFBFR) starts...
Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 30 states and the District of Columbia in July compared to the previous month, while decreasing in 20 states. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nationwide total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 73,000 in July, falling short of expectations...
NAHB’s analysis of Census Data from the Quarterly Starts and Completions by Purpose and Design survey indicates year-over year growth for custom home builders amid broader single-family home building weakness. The custom building market is less sensitive to the interest rate cycle than other forms...
Single-family housing starts posted a modest gain in July as builders continue to contend with challenging housing affordability conditions and a host of supply-side headwinds, including labor shortages, elevated construction costs and inefficient regulatory costs. Led by solid multifamily production, overall housing starts increased 5.2%...
