Housing market - Articles | Plumbing & Mechanical

Impact of affordability challenges and demographic shifts on housing trends in 2026

February 23, 2026

Housing affordability has declined significantly in recent years. The deterioration in price-to-income ratio has been a key factor, as home prices have risen 53% since 2019, while median household income has risen only 24%. This has notably decreased the share of first-time home buyers in the market, which dropped to 21% in 2025 from 44% in 1981. Over that same time frame, the median age for first-time buyers reached a record high of 40 in 2025 from 29 in 1981.

Housing starts decline in March

April 20, 2019

Total housing starts fell 0.3% in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.14 million units from a downwardly revised reading in February, according to a report from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development and Commerce Department that was delayed due to the partial government shutdown.

NAHB: Housing starts fall 12.3% as tariffs draw increased concern

The June report raises concerns about a softening in housing production over the near term

July 19, 2018

The June reading of 1.17 million is the number of housing units builders would begin if they kept this pace for the next 12 months.

Millennials leading the growth of new home buyers

The home-ownership rate of millennials is now at 36%

April 13, 2018

More than 70 million millennials are poised to dominate the home buying market in the months and years ahead.

Housing starts near post-Recession high in October

Single-family production rose 5.3 percent in October

November 17, 2017

Multifamily starts jumped 36.8 percent to 413,000 units after a weak September report.

Builder confidence slips in July

It is the lowest Housing Market Index reading since November 2016

July 19, 2017

The Housing Market Index gauges builder perceptions of current single-family home sales and sales expectations for the next six months.

Are the trades returning to economic prominence?

Morris Beschloss

June 28, 2017

The stigma attached to trade professions is waning as job demand grows.

Real estate likely to taper off in 2017

With both private housing and multi-story apartment buildings reaching record levels in development, rentals and sales since the 2011 end of the Great Recession, it’s questionable as to whether these red-hot levels can be maintained.

Morris Beschloss

January 25, 2017

Commercial and residential real estate is expected to slow in the New Year.