Housing Developments

NAHB CEO Jim Tobin and SVP of Communications Paul Lopez welcome their first guest under the new podcast format: NAHB VP of Legal Advocacy Tom Ward. Tom explains some complicated developments in the world of housing.

Hosts Jim Tobin and Paul Lopez discuss the impact of the still-fresh Supreme Court ruling undoing much of the Biden Administration's Waters of the U.S. rule. The pair also talk about some more positive data in the housing industry and the political landscape heading into summer.

Housing Developments returns with incoming CEO Jim Tobin sharing his vision for the future of NAHB with co-host Paul Lopez, NAHB's SVP of Communications. Also, hear an update on developments on Capitol Hill.

It looks like we all have to worry about the debt ceiling for a little while -- again. Does the debt ceiling bill passed by the House have anything for the housing industry?

The FHFA's new fee structure for mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac has caused a lot of confusion and speculation in the market. The FHFA recently clarified some of the changes.

New homes sales jumped nearly 10% in March compared to February as the spring buying season finally arrived. The total was still lower than the pace in 2022, but not by a lot.

Let's take a look at all the housing market data released this week. It's a lot.

The NAHB/Westlake Royal Remodeling Market Index (RMI) for the first quarter posted a reading of 70, edging up one point compared to the previous quarter. This reflects continued optimism from remodelers as homeowners look to improve rather than move.

Overall, housing starts decreased 0.8% in March, according to the monthly report from HUD and the Census Bureau. Single-family starts increased 2.7% but remains lower than a year ago. NAHB sees a turning point for single-family construction occurring later this year.

Home builder confidence ticked up one point in April to a still-low 45. But still, it's four straight months of improving sentiment, bolstered mainly by growing home buyer demand. NAHB Chief Economist Rob Dietz explains further.

NAHB economic staff analyzed recent government data on employment and found some interesting trends in construction employment after the pandemic.

Baby boomers bought more homes in 2022 than any other generation cohort for the first time since 2012, supplanting Millennials for the top spot. Meanwhile, home listings are down even as mortgage rates ease.

It's a relatively quiet week in D.C. on the legislative front. Home builders are waiting to hear from the U.S. Supreme Court as their decision on Biden's Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule will ultimately determine the fate of the requirements.

We say goodbye to March and the first quarter of 2023 with a roundup of recent housing industry data.

Home builders have scored some legislative victories in Washington over the last 48 hours as NAHB and other groups focus on barriers to home production.

The price of lumber has fallen to near pre-pandemic levels, a good thing for home builders and buyers. But some building materials, most notably concrete, have seen prices remain stubbornly high, and continue to increase.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) issued a strong rebuke to the Department of Energy's transformer rule after NAHB voiced its strong concerns at a recent SBA forum, and Herb Kohler continues to give back to the housing industry.

We check in with NAHB Chief Economist Rob Dietz to get his view of the Fed's recent activity and his forecast moving forward.

New home sales were up ever so slightly last month, but given that the Fed just raised interest rates again, we might be seeing a slow spring season.

Existing home sales surged in February, but in a bit of good news, the median sales price was DOWN slightly from a year ago. Also, the new WOTUS rule is in effect, but the Supreme Court will soon weigh in.