Home Builder Sentiment Slides Amid Economic Instability

More than 60 percent of builders said suppliers have raised prices of building materials due to higher fuel costs.

A for-sale sign outside a home in Irvine, Calif., on Sept. 21, 2020. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

American housing builders’ sentiment has experienced a “sharp decline” in April due to concerns about the economy.

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) declined four points this month, NAHB said in an April 15 statement. The index, which measures builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes, was at 34 this month, the lowest level since September 2025.