Podcast: Has the Housing Upturn Begun?
In the latest episode of the Housing Developments podcast, NAHB CEO Jim Tobin and SVP Paul Lopez discuss two positive economic indices released this week: housing starts had a huge jump in May and builder confidence is in positive territory for the first time in 11 months. The co-hosts discuss the reality that these developments represent, including what this means for the inflationary environment in advance of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s testimony on Capitol Hill.
Listen to Housing Developments wherever you get your podcasts, or watch a video of the full episode below.
Editor’s note: Find more in-depth analyses on starts and builder sentiment data on NAHB’s economics blog, Eye on Housing.
Latest from NAHBNow
Membership
Feb 06, 2026
A Message from Jim Chapman, Candidate for NAHB 2026 Third Vice ChairmanThe election for Third Vice Chairman will take place at the Leadership Council meeting during the 2026 International Builders' Show.
Codes and Standards
Feb 06, 2026
Learn About the 2024 IECC in Free Video Series for NAHB MembersNAHB is now offering members a free educational video series on the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code. The videos break down key differences between the 2024 IECC and past editions, focusing on changes that improve usability and what they mean for construction costs.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Feb 06, 2026
The Size of the Housing Shortage: 2024 DataPersistently low homeowner and rental vacancy rates indicate that the U.S. housing market remains structurally undersupplied.
Economics
Feb 05, 2026
Job Openings Fall as Labor Market WeakensRunning counter to the data for the full economy, the count of open, unfilled positions in the construction industry increased in December, per the delayed Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS). The current level of open jobs is down measurably from two years ago due to declines in construction activity, particularly in housing.
Economics
Feb 04, 2026
Mortgage Rates Declined Despite Higher Treasury YieldsLong-term mortgage rates continued to decline in January. According to Freddie Mac, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.10% last month, 9 basis points (bps) lower than December. Meanwhile, the 15-year rate declined 4 bps to 5.44%. Compared to a year ago, the 30-year rate is lower by 86 bps. The 15-year rate is also lower by 72 bps.