Podcast: Jobs and Wages Make Headlines
On the latest episode of Housing Developments, CEO Jim Tobin and SVP Paul Lopez discuss joint legislative activation by NAHB and the Home Builders Institute on the Job Corps defunding issue. Tobin and Lopez also address the Department of Labor’s proposed overtime rule, which could affect more than 3.6 million salaried workers and thousands of businesses, and other congressional activity heading into fall, including the impending vote on a continuing resolution to keep the government funded.
Listen to Housing Developments through your favorite podcast app, or watch this episode below.
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Latest Economic News
U.S. house prices continued to rise in the second quarter of 2026, with most states and metropolitan areas recording annual gains. Elevated borrowing costs and affordability constraints remained important headwinds, while limited housing supply continued to support prices in many markets, particularly across parts of the Midwest and Northeast.
The number of open positions in the construction sector increased in July per the Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS). The current level of open jobs is down from three years ago due to declines in construction activity, particularly in housing.
Home building trends diverged across geographies in the second quarter of 2026. According to the Home Building Geography Index (HBGI), single-family construction declined in nearly all geographic categories, although the contraction eased in most markets from the first quarter.