Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes inched up one point to 35 in August, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). Builder sentiment remains muted from economic and geopolitical uncertainty, elevated mortgage rates and rising construction costs.
“While builder sentiment edged higher in August, builders continue to contend with high construction costs and broader economic uncertainty,” says NAHB Chairman Bill Owens, a home builder and remodeler from Worthington, Ohio. “Rising gas and diesel prices are pushing up material costs, and spec home building remains weak as many prospective buyers stay on the sidelines. However, the Midwest remains a bright spot for the home building industry, with new home sales up in that region more than 2% so far in 2026.”
