In the past 48 hours, the US housing industry has continued to navigate persistent challenges with some signs of shift. Mortgage rates remain elevated, discouraging many would-be homebuyers, though there have been very slight signs of relief compared to rates earlier in the year. Inventory is finally rising modestly but is still well below what is needed for a balanced market. This continues to support higher prices, though price growth has slowed. Year-over-year, national home price growth eased to about 2 percent in April, with single-family detached homes up 2.46 percent, a step down from the faster increases of prior years.
Regional differences are becoming more pronounced. Southern and Southeastern cities like Miami, Austin, and Charlotte remain hot, with Miami prices up 9.4 percent year-over-year as of May. These areas are still seeing bidding wars and strong demand, partly due to robust job growth and continued migration. Conversely, markets that saw rapid appreciation during the pandemic—such as Boise, Phoenix, and Las Vegas—are now seeing prices dip by as much as 3.1 percent in some cases, driven by more listings and buyer fatigue.
Builders are increasing single-family home starts by roughly 3 percent this year, but multifamily construction is slowing, down about 4 percent, as developers assess risk and wait out high financing costs. Supply chain conditions have stabilized compared to the past two years, but builders remain wary of potential new tariffs and regulatory shifts as the presidential election nears.
Consumer behavior is shifting too, with more buyers willing to compromise on location or size to afford a home, while some are choosing to wait out the market in hopes that mortgage rates will dip later in 2025. National programs targeting first responders, veterans, and healthcare workers are helping eligible buyers save an average of three thousand dollars on transactions, reflecting efforts by industry leaders to support key groups.
Overall, while the market remains tough to enter, especially for first-time buyers, the pace of change has slowed. Compared to the frantic post-pandemic market, today’s industry is cooler and more regionally varied, with cautious optimism for modest improvement as 2025 continues.