NAHB Podcast: Chief Economist Talks Builder Confidence, Starts and the Federal Reserve
On today’s episode of Housing Developments, Chief Economist Dr. Robert Dietz joins co-hosts CEO Jim Tobin and SVP Paul Lopez to discuss the latest announcement from the Fed and how key housing indicators offer a glimpse into what the future holds for the industry.
Listen to Housing Developments on your favorite podcast app or watch the episode below.
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Building Material Prices Continue to Rise Despite Energy Price DeclinesResidential building material prices, excluding energy, rose 0.5% in June and were up 4.6% from a year ago. Lower energy prices were apparent in June, as energy input prices fell 10.3% over the month. Meanwhile, prices for services rose 5.2% over the year, and were up 1.0% from the previous month.
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Single-Family Permitting Continued to Weaken Through MayState-level permitting activity continued to reflect a divided housing market through the first five months of 2026. Elevated mortgage rates and ongoing affordability challenges continued to weigh on single-family construction across much of the country, while multifamily permitting remained comparatively stronger, supported by gains in several regions despite continued weakness in parts of the South.
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Inflation Cooled in June as Gas Prices EasedInflation slowed to 3.5% in June from a three-year high last month, driven by a mid-June ceasefire agreement that stabilized oil markets and lowered energy prices.