Builder sentiment inched up for a second consecutive month despite a housing market that is still saddled with affordability challenges, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI).
Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes was 43 in October, up two points from a reading of 41 in September. All three HMI indices were up in October – the index charting current sales conditions rose two points to 47, the component measuring sales expectations in the next six months increased four points to 57 and the gauge charting traffic of prospective buyers posted a two-point gain to 29.
Looking at the three-month moving averages for regional HMI scores, the Northeast increased two points to 51, the Midwest moved two points higher to 41, the South held steady at 41 and the West increased three points to 41.
“While housing affordability remains low, builders are feeling more optimistic about 2025 market conditions,” said NAHB Chairman Carl Harris, a custom home builder from Wichita, Kansas. “The wild card for the outlook remains the election, and with housing policy a top tier issue for candidates, policymakers should be focused on supply-side solutions to the housing crisis.”
“Despite the beginning of the Fed’s easing cycle, many prospective home buyers remain on the sideline waiting for lower interest rates,” added NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz. “We are forecasting uneven declines for mortgage interest rates in the coming quarters, which will improve housing demand but place stress on building lot supplies due to tight lending conditions for development and construction loans.”
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