NAHB

Despite persistent affordability challenges including elevated mortgage rates, new home sales improved in August. Sales of newly built single-family homes increased by 6.4% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 685,000, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau. Now is a great time to sharpen home sales skills. On Tuesday, Oct. 13, NAHB will hold "" live online course.

According to the NAHB Member Census, 21% of NAHB Builder members in 2025 listed residential remodeling as their primary business. These firms tend to be relatively small, with a median of five employees and a median annual revenue of $2.1 million. Although a median revenue of $2.1 million is considerably lower than the $3.7 million median revenue of all NAHB Builder members, it was a 24% increase compared to 2024 ($1.7 million).

NAHB filed an amicus brief in the Fifth Circuit immigration case Sosnava Rodriguez v. Ortega. The case asks whether a person who entered the United States without official inspection may seek release on bond from a judge while the government considers deportation. Under the 1996 immigration law known as IIRIRA — and the government’s longstanding interpretation — certain people already living in the United States could seek bond while deportation proceedings were pending.

As the housing industry faces a severe labor shortage, NAHB members report that increased immigration enforcement and jobsite raids are heightening worker fears and further straining the construction labor pool. In some markets, stepped up immigration enforcement has discouraged legally authorized workers from reporting to jobsites, delaying home construction and raising costs as the nation confronts a housing shortage of about 1.2 million units.

NAHB Chairman Bill Owens was on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 23 to help open the 2026 Innovative Housing Showcase, an annual event presented by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Tom Woods, 2015 NAHB chairman, passed away on Monday, Sept. 21. A Blue Springs, Mo.-based home builder and its former mayor, Woods formed his first company in 1969 and served as president of Woods Custom Homes. His firms developed scores of communities and more than 1,000 homes in the Greater Kansas City area. “Tom Woods was a ‘muddy boots builder’ to his core, the kind of man who would rather be out on the site with his crews than behind a desk,” shared NAHB CEO Jim Tobin.

New home sales improved in August, but the monthly gain masks continued weakness in the broader new-home market. Elevated mortgage rates and ongoing affordability challenges continue to constrain demand, with new home sales remaining below last year's pace and year-to-date sales lower than 2025.

The smart home is entering a new era and builders have an opportunity to get ahead of what home owners will expect next. From AI-powered home control and intelligent lighting to energy management, indoor air and water quality, advanced HVAC systems, and wellness technologies, the latest innovations are transforming how homes are designed, built, and utilized. Join the NAHB Leading Suppliers Council (LSC) for a free, two-part LSC Talks webinar on Monday, Sept.

In his September video update, 2026 NAHB Chairman Bill Owens highlights key events for the residential construction industry this fall, including why members should get out to vote this November and why now is a great time to register for the 2027 International Builders' Show (IBS). This November, voters will head to the polls for the midterm elections, and housing is on the ballot.

The legal doctrine of "associational standing" continues to face scrutiny across the country, and the latest challenge is now before the Indiana Supreme Court. Last week, the court heard oral argument in Citizens Action Coalition v. Duke Energy of Indiana, a closely watched case involving the construction of a Duke Energy power plant.