How Will the Economy Impact Housing for the Rest of 2024?

Forecasts
Published

Limited inventory, higher construction costs and elevated interest rates continue to frustrate prospective home buyers. The new quarterly NAHB/Wells Fargo Cost of Housing Index recently underscored the burden that housing costs represent for middle- and low-income families. And builders are feeling the crunch, too, as noted in the latest NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index. 

So what can the housing industry expect for the remainder of the year?

NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz and Senior Economist Fan-Yu Kuo will provide an analysis and outlook of key macro issues affecting the economy and the housing industry in an upcoming webinar with Pro Builder magazine on June 26 at 2 p.m. ET.

The webinar will provide attendees with a better understanding of what macroeconomic factors are driving the housing industry in 2024, which key housing policies are affecting their business the most, and how they can prepare their business for what’s to come.

Topics will include:

  • Federal Reserve’s monetary policy and current inflation and interest rate readings,
  • Immigration,
  • Existing home inventory, and
  • Other factors affecting the home building industry.

The presentation will also include a live question-and-answer session for attendees.

Subscribe to NAHBNow

Log in or create account to subscribe to notifications of new posts.

Log in to subscribe

Latest from NAHBNow

Economics

Mar 05, 2026

Builders Identify Key Long-Term Forces Shaping Housing Demand and Industry Health

Results from special questions included in the recent NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) reveal that home builders expect a mix of demographic, economic and technological forces to significantly influence the long-term health of the home building industry and housing demand over the next decade.

Economics | Housing Affordability

Mar 05, 2026

Affordability Posts Mild Gains in Second Half of 2025 but Crisis Continues

Though new and existing homes remain largely unaffordable, the needle moved slightly in the right direction in the second half of 2025, according to the latest data from the NAHB/Wells Fargo Cost of Housing Index (CHI). The CHI results from the fourth quarter of 2025 show that a family earning the nation’s median income of $104,200 needed 34% of its income to cover the mortgage payment on a median-priced new home. Low-income families, defined as those earning only 50% of median income, would have to spend 67% of their earnings to pay for the same new home.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

Mar 05, 2026

Builders Identify Key Long-Term Forces Shaping Housing Demand and Industry Health

Home builders are keenly aware of the complex long-term outlook ahead for the home building industry. A recent NAHB/Wells Fargo HMI survey asked builders to assess the impact of 14 major trends and forces on the health of the industry and housing demand over the next 10 years.

Economics

Mar 05, 2026

Affordability Posts Mild Gains in Second Half of 2025 but Crisis Continues

Though new and existing homes remain largely unaffordable, the needle moved slightly in the right direction in the second half of 2025, according to the latest data from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Cost of Housing Index (CHI).

Economics

Mar 04, 2026

Mortgage Rates Dipped Below 6% in February Amid Treasury Rally

Mortgage rates continued to decline in February, dipping below 6% in the last week of February. According to Freddie Mac, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.05% last month, 5 basis points (bps) lower than January.