Despite affordability and labor concerns, homebuilder confidence held steady at 62 points in March, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index. In fact, NAHB Chairman Greg Ugalde said builders anticipate a solid spring home buying season.

Since 2012, housing affordability conditions for prospective homeowners have declined. While the causes of this situation are complex, it's clear financing issues are a leading contributor holding back the market. A lack of available financing for acquisition, development and construction (AD&C) debt is restraining construction and increasing costs, and this means that new construction is not keeping pace with demand, signaling the potential for worsening affordability if policymakers don't take note.

We set out to ask how lenders were going to battle for the borrower. The answers we received changed our minds. There’s battle happening on a much smaller scale, and that’s the battle for the broker.

Homebuilders around the country expect consumer confidence and demand to boost home renovation spending within the next two years, according to the National Association of Home Builders. NAHB Remodelers Chair Joanne Theunissen said although there is steady demand across the country, costs of labor and materials are the industry's biggest challenges.

Held steady by decreasing mortgage rates, homebuilder confidence in the market of new single-family homes stabilized in the month of January, increasing two points to 58, according to the latest National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index. 

Affordability concerns contributed to homebuilder confidence falling eight points to 60 in November, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index. NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz said for the past several years, shortages of labor and lots along with rising regulatory costs have led to a slow recovery in single-family construction.

Homebuilder confidence rose one point to 68 in October, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index. "Builders are motivated by solid housing demand, fueled by a growing economy and a generational low for unemployment," NAHB Chairman Randy Noel said.

The Home Builders Institute recently announced it appointed former chairman of the National Association of Homebuilders Ed Brady as president and chief executive officer of the organization. NAHB Chairman Randy Noel said Brady is the perfect person for the job.

This year, the National Association of Home Builders’ Remodeling Market Index revealed that in the fourth quarter of 2017, the RMI reached 60 for the second time since 2001. Although the increasing demand for home renovation has carried over to 2018, recently imposed tariffs are expected to reduce home renovation affordability.

New tariffs against China could add $1 billion in costs to goods involved with housing construction. According to CNBC’s Realty Check, the NAHB estimates that of the 6,000 goods under the umbrella of the latest round of tariffs, roughly 600 products, representing $10 billion in goods, are related to the construction of new apartments and homes.