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
Advocacy | Spring Leadership Meeting
Jun 12, 2026
Cabinet-Level Officials Discuss Regulatory Reform With NAHB MembersOn June 11, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner, Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler, Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin discussed housing, environmental and small business regulatory issues during NAHB’s Spring Leadership Meeting.
Economics
Jun 11, 2026
Fed Rate Hike Possible Amid Inflation and Geopolitical UncertaintyThe bond market is projecting that it is now more likely than not that the next monetary policy move by the central bank is a federal funds rate increase rather than a cut. NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz provides his insights and recaps key factors shaping the market.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Jun 12, 2026
Single-Family Permits Continue to Decline Through April as Multifamily Activity StrengthensThrough April 2026, residential construction activity remained uneven across housing sectors. Single-family permitting continued to soften compared with a year ago, reflecting persistent affordability challenges and elevated borrowing costs, while multifamily permitting posted solid gains supported by stronger activity in several regions.
Economics
Jun 11, 2026
Residential Building Material Prices Rise at Highest Rate In Over Three YearsWholesale prices of goods used in residential construction rose in May as energy prices continued to climb.
Economics
Jun 10, 2026
Inflation Surpassed 4% in MayInflation accelerated to a new three-year high in May, driven by continued increases in energy costs from the Iran war. Energy costs drove more than 60% of the monthly increase, with national gasoline prices jumping more than a dollar since the war began.