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
Economics
Aug 17, 2026
Affordability Pressures Keep Builder Confidence Low
Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes inched up one point to 35 in August, according to the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) released today.
Regulations | Environmental Issues
Aug 14, 2026
Administration Acts on 3 Key NAHB Deregulatory Priorities
Two regulations will become effective under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) on Aug. 20, and a third final rule rescinding the ESA’s 45-year-old “harm” regulatory definition becomes effective next month.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Aug 17, 2026
Consumer Credit Slowed in Q2
In the second quarter of 2026, consumer credit growth slowed over the quarter and was lower than a year ago. According to the Federal Reserve’s G.19 Consumer Credit Report, total outstanding U.S. consumer credit reached $5.17 trillion in the second quarter of 2026.
Economics
Aug 17, 2026
Affordability Pressures Keep Builder Confidence Low
Builder sentiment remains muted from economic and geopolitical uncertainty, elevated mortgage rates and rising construction costs.
Economics
Aug 14, 2026
Single-Family Permitting Declines Through June in Contrast to Multifamily
Single-family permitting activity continued to weaken through the first half of 2026, while multifamily permitting remained somewhat stronger compared with the same period last year.