Homebuilders

President Trump said big homebuilders are sitting on a record 2 million empty lots, and asked Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to help restore the American Dream.

President Donald Trump will sign an executive order on Thursday imposing new tariff rates on trading partners that take effect Friday, the White House said. 

A growing supply of unsold inventory applied downward pressure on prices, offering home buyers some relief, the Mortgage Bankers Association said.

American lumber producers have alleged that the Canadian lumber system amounts to a subsidy — a charge Canadians deny — and the countries have fought over tariffs on those products for decades.

Some mortgage stakeholders say Trump's tariffs would make interest rates rise and housing costs shoot up.

The manufactured home loan lender, a unit of Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary Clayton Homes, was accused of ignoring red flags that sent many borrowers into bankruptcy, default and ultimately out of their homes.

While the lock-in effect on existing supply has helped drive consumer interest in new construction, first-time buyers have been taking a greater share of that inventory.

Lending activity among builders surged over 22% annually in December, but the growing share of FHA-backed borrowing in the segment took a step back for the first time in four months, the Mortgage Bankers Association said.

The transactions grew between second and third quarter, with the new-home market seeing one of its largest surges in cash-buying in 13 years.

Decreased availability of bank capital for new commercial construction helped slow activity from the previous nine quarters, according to a new report.

The May uptick in nonbank housing-finance payrolls came almost entirely from lender hiring as loan broker numbers plateaued and construction demand persisted.

Construction activity in smaller cities also saw a significant annual decline, according to the National Association of Home Builders.

The Mortgage Bankers Association sees the likelihood of a rise in sales activity later this year based on recent construction trends, in a turnaround from the 2022 market.

Fannie Mae researchers found housing costs decelerating for the fourth straight quarter, but limited inventory may be driving hopeful buyers to look for opportunities in the new-construction market.

The CFPB is requesting input on adding specifications that are intended to alleviate TRID compliance concerns on construction-to-permanent single-close loans and those requiring separate construction and home loan closings.

Kindred Home Loans will serve buyers of properties in Dallas and San Antonio markets.

The decline in loan activity and softening prices also helped drive down builder sentiment for the 11th month in a row.

In a week where homebuilding stocks were faced with surging U.S. Treasury yields and data showing weakening demand for homes, one analyst is throwing in the towel on the sector.

Consumer demands for lower density and more affordable prices fueled a larger share of construction outside urban cores, but recent trends have led to slowdowns across the board.

Activity is coming in at or below 2020 levels according to reports from the Mortgage Bankers Association and Redfin.