April home sales dropped to the slowest pace for that month since 2009

[Nuthin' Fancy]

If a spec house isn't affordable, they will not build them.

BS.

Most homes built are in a development, a pre-planned community.

 

[80zephyr]

BS.

Most homes built are in a development, a pre-planned community.

I built my first spec home in 1976. I get it. But, if there wasn't a demand, they wouldn't build them.

 

[Nuthin' Fancy]

I built my first spec home in 1976.

Are you a builder?
You built the models for a development?

I get it. But, if there wasn't a demand, they wouldn't build them.

"Umm, the builder does not control the size of the house".

 

[80zephyr]

Are you a builder?
You built the models for a development?


"Umm, the builder does not control the size of the house".

Yes, I was a builder. I built the house I'm living in in 1980. I have developed subdivisions and built spec homes in them.

If the builder controls the size of the house, why not really maximize profits and just build 5,000 square foot homes?

 

[leftwinger]

So builder cost is up to $200/SQFT? Thanks Obiden Flu inflation.

So they get sold at $300/SQFT? Sounds reasonable. Business stays in business by making profit. Many hi-tech companies have 65% gross margin.

Do you think an Iphone cost APPL $1000 to make it? Lol! Oh thats different, *** CEO who worked arm in arm with Obiden 1.0 to kill the country.

 

[Nuthin' Fancy]

Yes, I was a builder. I built the house I'm living in in 1980. I have developed subdivisions and built spec homes in them.

If the builder controls the size of the house, why not really maximize profits and just build 5,000 square foot homes?

Sometimes they do...........With zero lot lines.
All house with a patch of grass.

 

[leftwinger]

Out west they have 2500 sqft homes literally 6’? From the next door neighbor? Or 4’ to the fenceline? Some luxury. Good news is sometimes they block hot sun,

 

[80zephyr]

Sometimes they do...........With zero lot lines.
All house with a patch of grass.

I built the first zero lot line approved home in my area. Around 1984 I believe. Building my son a house this summer,

first time I will use insulated concrete forms.

 

[initforme]

If we have a declining birthrate and are depirting people in theory we will need less housing in the future. I. Guess thats a win.

 

[Moonglow]

We need to go back to building small homes not McMansions. in the primary job markets, there's almost no such thing as a "starter home" now.

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/22/april-home-sales-real-estate.html

They are building shitloads of apartments in NW Arkansas and the prices have skyrocketed on those along with the houses thanks to Wal Mart.

 

[Moonglow]

I built the first zero lot line approved home in my area. Around 1984 I believe. Building my son a house this summer,

first time I will use insulated concrete forms.

What, no three-D printer concrete homes?

 

[Moonglow]

No naughty Euphemisms necessary .

And I am surprised that you hold yourself in such low worth .
I feel sure that you are much more than a good bike ride .

He meant unicycle.

 

[Moonglow]

.

I bought my home for $275K three years ago. The home across the street, same size lot, exact same floor plan, built the same year as mine, is now on the market for $362K.


.

Mine went from 187k to 550k 2009-2025. Good thing the taxes are locked in.

 

[80zephyr]

What, no three-D printer concrete homes?

Lol. Nope. At least not yet.

 

[Dekster]

When I first started building homes in the 1970's, the average home was 12 to 15 hundred square feet.

Nobody wants that anymore, but everybody complains about being priced out of the housing market.

The subdivision requirements in the 70's were largely non-existent compared to what the requirements are now. It can take 8-10 years to get them through the point that you can start building the first house if it is anywhere near any ground where water may flow/puddle.. That is a lot of upfront cost. Builders are going to only want to build the bigger homes so that is what people will come to expect for new homes.

 

[80zephyr]

The subdivision requirements in the 70's were largely non-existent compared to what the requirements are now. It can take 8-10 years to get them through the point that you can start building the first house if it is anywhere near any ground where water may flow/puddle.. That is a lot of upfront cost. Builders are going to only want to build the bigger homes so that is what people will come to expect for new homes.

That like saying that everyone can afford a Cadillac. Just because building a more expensive car makes more money. Most people cannot afford a Cadillac.

 

[Dekster]

That like saying that everyone can afford a Cadillac. Just because building a more expensive car makes more money. Most people cannot afford a Cadillac.

No it is like saying the dealership has to build you a garage with charging station before it can sell you the Cadillac. Rightly or wrongly, building a Levittown today isn't going to happen without massive changes in federal law and state and local building codes even if you wanted to and even if you did, you would be lucky to be able to put people in them at a profit for less than a quarter million even in flyover country. The only real solution in the near term to housing would be to rehab and retrofitting existing properties, often into apartments.