Home Price Gains Moderate for Third Straight Month
Home prices experienced a third year-over-year deceleration in May, according to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index (HPI). On a year-over-year basis, the non-seasonally adjusted (NSA) index posted a 5.94% annual gain in May, down from a 6.39% increase in April. The index had seen steady increases in year-over-year growth since June 2023. But this growth rate began slowing in March 2024 and has continued to decelerate through May.
The HPI increased at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.09% for May, following a revised rate of 3.91% in April. May marks the 16th consecutive monthly increase; home prices have not seen an outright decrease since January 2023.
Latest from NAHBNow
On the latest episode of NAHB’s podcast, Housing Developments, CEO Jim Tobin and COO Paul Lopez highlight major issues impacting the residential construction industry — including immigration, gas bans and tariffs — and key upcoming events.
According to a new academic study, small residential construction firms account for a disproportionate number of annual construction fatalities, but opportunities exist to improve jobsite safety through more deliberate communication and safety buffers.
Latest Economic News
U.S. house prices continued to rise in the second quarter of 2026, with most states and metropolitan areas recording annual gains. Elevated borrowing costs and affordability constraints remained important headwinds, while limited housing supply continued to support prices in many markets, particularly across parts of the Midwest and Northeast.
The number of open positions in the construction sector increased in July per the Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS). The current level of open jobs is down from three years ago due to declines in construction activity, particularly in housing.
Home building trends diverged across geographies in the second quarter of 2026. According to the Home Building Geography Index (HBGI), single-family construction declined in nearly all geographic categories, although the contraction eased in most markets from the first quarter.