Homebuilder confidence has fallen to its lowest level since 2012, a 14-year low according to the NAHB and Wells Fargo Housing Market Index. Rising mortgage rates and higher energy and material costs are keeping more buyers on the sidelines, as NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz noted. The headline index edged up one point to 38 in March, a slight gain that remains well below the breakeven level of 50. NAHB Chairman Bill Owens said affordability remains a top concern for both buyers and builders, who face elevated land, labor, and construction costs. Dietz pointed to global events and energy prices as potential headwinds, while efforts to ease regulatory burdens on homebuilding could help improve long-term housing supply.
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Related tickers and likely impact
DXY
▼ Likely negativeRelevance: low
| Market | Currencies |
|---|---|
| Close on 10/16/2026 | 101.78 |
| Change that session | -0.20% |
SPY
▼ Likely negativeSPDR S&P 500 ETF
Relevance: low
| Market | US stocks |
|---|---|
| Sector | ETF |
| Close on 10/19/2026 | 766.48 |
| Change that session | +0.42% |
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Related news
- Homebuilder Sentiment Drops To Lowest Level Since 2012
Homebuilder confidence fell to its lowest level since 2012 according to the NAHB and Wells Fargo Housing Market Index, a 14-year low driven by rising mortgage rates and higher energy and material costs. The headline index rose one point to 38 in March but remained below the breakeven level of 50 that separates positive from negative conditions. NAHB Chairman Bill Owens said affordability remains a top concern, while Chief Economist Robert Dietz pointed to global events and energy prices as headwinds and said efforts to ease regulatory burdens could help long-term supply.
- Homebuilder Sentiment Drops To Lowest Level Since 2012
Homebuilder confidence fell to its lowest level since 2012 in the latest NAHB and Wells Fargo Housing Market Index, as rising mortgage rates and higher energy and material costs weighed on sentiment. The headline index rose one point to 38 in March, but remains well below the breakeven level of 50 that separates positive from negative conditions. NAHB Chairman Bill Owens said affordability remains a top concern for buyers and builders, who also face elevated land, labor and construction costs. NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz pointed to global events and energy prices as potential headwinds, while noting that efforts to reduce regulatory burdens could help improve long-term housing supply.
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- Homebuilder Sentiment Drops To Lowest Level Since 2012
Homebuilder confidence has dropped to its lowest level since 2012, a 14-year low, according to the NAHB and Wells Fargo Housing Market Index, as rising mortgage rates and higher energy and material costs keep buyers on the sidelines. The headline index rose one point to 38 in March, a slight improvement but still well below the breakeven level of 50 that separates positive from negative conditions. Affordability remains the top concern: buyers are waiting for lower rates and greater economic clarity, while builders face elevated land, labor and construction costs. NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz pointed to global events and energy prices as potential headwinds, but said efforts to reduce regulatory burdens could help improve long-term housing supply.
- Homebuilder Sentiment Drops To Lowest Level Since 2012
Builder confidence has fallen to its lowest level since 2012, according to the NAHB and Wells Fargo Housing Market Index. Rising mortgage rates and higher energy and material costs have pushed sentiment to a 14-year low, keeping many buyers on the sidelines. The headline index rose one point to 38, still well below the breakeven level of 50, with affordability cited as a top concern for both buyers and builders. Builders also face elevated land, labor and construction costs, while NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz pointed to global events and energy prices as headwinds. He said efforts to ease regulatory burdens could still help improve long-term housing supply.
- Homebuilder Sentiment Drops To Lowest Level Since 2012
Homebuilder confidence has fallen to its lowest level since 2012, according to the NAHB and Wells Fargo Housing Market Index, with sentiment at a 14-year low amid rising mortgage rates and higher energy and material costs. The headline index rose one point to 38, still well below the breakeven level of 50, after a slight increase in March. NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz said these factors are keeping more buyers on the sidelines, while Chairman Bill Owens called affordability a top concern for both buyers and builders. Dietz also pointed to global events and energy prices as headwinds, but said reducing regulatory burdens could help improve long-term housing supply.
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