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New construction remains popular as existing home listings continue to lag

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The NAHB index rose by three points in March, rising to the highest levels since July.  (iStock)

New construction homes are becoming more popular, mainly due to the low inventory of existing homes.

The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index — which measures the market conditions of new home sales — rose by three points to 51 in March. This is the highest it’s been since July. This rise in the index signals a greater desire for new construction among current homebuyers.

“The solid level of single-family production in February tracks closely with rising builder sentiment, and with mortgage rates expected to moderate further this year, this will provide an added boost for single-family building,” Carl Harris, the NAHB’s chairman, said.

Although they’re often more costly, newly built homes are even more attractive to new buyers because builders often offer incentives to buy. Compared to existing homes, which tend to go for more than listed and have buyers constantly entering into bidding wars, new builds offer a welcome reprieve.

According to NAHB survey data, builders made significant efforts throughout 2023 to get buyers to consider new builds.

“To get them [buyers] to feel more comfortable, they need to at least feel like they’re getting a deal,” Ali Wolf, Zonda’s chief economist, explained

Many builders offer sales incentives like funds buyers can put toward closing costs, or “flex dollars” to use for home upgrades.

Around 38% of builders have also been willing to build smaller homes that are more affordable. Plus, 33% of builders focused on offering more affordable finishes and designs.

If you’re currently searching for the right mortgage, you can explore your mortgage and rate options in minutes by visiting Credible.

NEW CONSTRUCTION HOMES POPULAR AMONG MILLENNIALS DESPITE HIGH HOUSING COSTS

Homes remain unaffordable as interest rates get stuck in the high 6% range

While new builds are on the rise, the existing home market remains largely unaffordable for the average buyer. Mortgage rates continue to hover around the high 6% range and many homes are still high-priced.

“You know, when you zoom out, affordability is still very, very low from a historical perspective,” Odeta Kushi, the deputy chief economist at First American Financial Corp, said.

Average incomes across the country aren’t able to keep up with the housing market. Housing prices have risen two times faster than income levels, a Home Bay study found.

“The problem is that home price appreciation is likely to continue, probably a little bit quicker than income growth,” Charlie Dougherty, a senior economist at Wells Fargo, said.

The median-priced home in the U.S. is $433,100. To afford that price, Americans need to have an income around $166,000, but the average income of Americans is just $74,580, according to the Home Bay study.

To see if you qualify for a mortgage based on your current credit score and salary, consider visiting Credible, where you can compare multiple mortgage lenders at once.

HOMEBUYERS GAINED THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AS MORTGAGE INTEREST RATES FALL: REDFIN

Homebuyers remain optimistic despite challenges

Despite low affordability and higher-than-expected interest rates, homebuyers remain generally optimistic about the housing market.

Fannie Mae’s Home Purchase Sentiment Index increased by 2.1 points in February for the third consecutive month. About 65% of consumers said it was a good time to sell, up from January when 60% said it was a good time.

“Consumer attitudes toward home-selling conditions increased markedly in February, with current homeowners, in particular, expressing greater optimism that it’s a ‘good time to sell,’ a development that may foreshadow an upcoming increase in existing home listings,” Doug Duncan, a senior vice president at Fannie Mae, said.

There’s still hope among homebuyers that mortgage interest rates will drop, adding some affordability to their homebuying search.

“If their expectations come true and rates move closer to the 6-percent mark by the end of 2024, as we currently expect, then it’s likely that consumer sentiment on both sides of the transaction will improve, perhaps leading to a further thawing of the housing market,” Duncan said.

If you’re looking to purchase a home in today’s market, you can explore your mortgage options by visiting Credible to compare rates and lenders and get a mortgage preapproval letter in minutes.

BIDEN WANTS TO GIVE HOMEBUYERS $400 PER MONTH: STATE OF THE UNION

Have a finance-related question, but don’t know who to ask? Email The Credible Money Expert at [email protected] and your question might be answered by Credible in our Money Expert column.

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Trump CFPB cuts reviewed by Fed inspector general

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Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Russell Vought attends a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 10, 2025.

Nathan Howard | Reuters

The Federal Reserve’s inspector general is reviewing the Trump administration’s attempts to lay off nearly all Consumer Financial Protection Bureau employees and cancel the agency’s contracts, CNBC has learned.

The inspector general’s office told Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., that it was taking up their request to investigate the moves of the consumer agency’s new leadership, according to a June 6 letter seen by CNBC.

“We had already initiated work to review workforce reductions at the CFPB” in response to an earlier request from lawmakers, acting Inspector General Fred Gibson said in the letter. “We are expanding that work to include the CFPB’s canceled contracts.”

The letter confirms that key oversight arms of the U.S. government are now examining the whirlwind of activity at the bureau after Trump’s acting CFPB head Russell Vought took over in February. Vought told employees to halt work, while he and operatives from Elon Musk‘s Department of Government Efficiency sought to lay off most of the agency’s staff and end contracts with external providers.

That prompted Warren and Kim to ask the Fed inspector general and the Government Accountability Office to review the legality of Vought’s actions and the extent to which they hindered the CFPB’s mission. The GAO told the lawmakers in April that it would examine the matter.

“As Trump dismantles vital public services, an independent OIG investigation is essential to understand the damage done by this administration at the CFPB and ensure it can still fulfill its mandate to work on the people’s behalf and hold companies who try to cheat and scam them accountable,” Kim told CNBC in a statement.

The Fed IG office serves as an independent watchdog over both the Fed and the CFPB, and has the power to examine agency records, issue subpoenas and interview personnel. It can also refer criminal matters to the Department of Justice.

Soon after his inauguration, Trump fired more than 17 inspectors general across federal agencies. Spared in that purge was Michael Horowitz, the IG for the Justice Department since 2012, who this month was named the incoming watchdog for the Fed and CFPB.

Horowitz, who begins in his new role at the end of this month, was reportedly praised by Trump supporters for uncovering problems with the FBI’s handling of its probe into Trump’s 2016 campaign.

Meanwhile, the fate of the CFPB hinges on a looming decision from a federal appeals court. Judges temporarily halted Vought’s efforts to lay off employees, but are now considering the Trump administration’s appeal over its plans for the agency.

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GameStop shares tank on convertible bond offering to potentially buy more bitcoin

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A Gamestop store is seen in Union Square on April 4, 2025 in New York City. 

Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images

GameStop shares slid on Thursday after the video game retailer and meme stock announced plans for a $1.75 billion convertible notes offering to potentially fund its new bitcoin purchase strategy.

The company said it intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes, “including making investments in a manner consistent with GameStop’s Investment Policy and potential acquisitions.”

Part of the investment policy is to add cryptocurrencies on its balance sheet. Last month, GameStop bought 4,710 bitcoins, worth more than half a billion dollars.

The stock tanked more than 15% in premarket trading following the announcement.

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GameStop

GameStop is following in the footsteps of software company MicroStrategy, now known as Strategy, which bought billions of dollars worth of bitcoin in recent years to become the largest corporate holder of the flagship cryptocurrency. That decision prompted a rapid, albeit volatile, rise for Strategy’s stock.

Strategy has issued various forms of securities including convertible debt to fund its bitcoin purchases.

CEO Ryan Cohen recently said GameStop’s decision to buy bitcoin is driven by macro concerns as the digital coin, with its fixed supply and decentralized nature, could serve as protection against certain risks.

The brick-and-mortar retailer reported a decline in fiscal first-quarter revenue on Tuesday as demand for online gaming rose. Its revenue dropped 17% year-over-year to $732.4 million. 

The shares fell 6% on Wednesday after those results. Wall Street appears uncertain it can mimic the success of MicroStrategy.

Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter reiterated his underperform rating on GameStop Wednesday, saying the meme stock has consistently capitalized on “greater fools” willing to pay more than twice its asset value for its shares. The Wedbush analyst believes the bitcoin buying strategy makes little sense as the company, already trading at 2.4 times cash, isn’t likely to drive an even greater premium by converting more cash to crypto.

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