The August edition of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) reached its lowest reading since last December with a 39 reading, down two points from a downwardly revised reading of 41 in July.
The HMI index charting current sales conditions in August fell two points to 44 and the gauge charting traffic of prospective buyers dropped by two points to 25. The component measuring sales expectations in the next six months increased one point to 49.
Looking at the three-month moving averages for regional HMI scores, the Northeast fell four points to 52, the Midwest dropped four points to 39, the South decreased two points to 42 and the West held steady at 37.
“Challenging housing affordability conditions remain the top concern for prospective home buyers in the current reading of the HMI, as both present sales and traffic readings showed weakness,” said NAHB Chairman Carl Harris, a custom home builder from Wichita, Kansas. “The only sustainable way to effectively tame high housing costs is to implement policies that allow builders to construct more attainable, affordable housing.”
The August HMI survey also revealed that 33% of builders cut home prices to bolster sales in August, above the July rate of 31% and the highest share in all of 2024. However, the average price reduction in August held steady at 6% for the 14th straight month. Meanwhile, the use of sales incentives increased to 64% in August from 61% in July, and this was the highest level since April 2019.
Nonetheless, the NAHB is expecting a rosier near future.
“With current inflation data pointing to interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve and mortgage rates down markedly in the second week of August, buyer interest and builder sentiment should improve in the months ahead,” said NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz.
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