The new-home market continued to face headwinds during the second quarter of 2026. Online shopper activity on NewHomeSource remained below year-ago levels, with national clicks falling to a record low in May before posting a modest rebound in June.
Even within the softer traffic environment, shoppers continued to search listings, compare communities, and request tours. The latest data provides insight into where buyer interest remains strongest and which home and community features continue to attract attention.
Regional performance remains uneven. Several Western markets continued to rank among the leaders for NewHomeSource shopper engagement during the second quarter, with Riverside/San Bernardino, Sacramento, and Los Angeles/Orange County maintaining strong relative positions. Notably, many of these markets also ranked near the top earlier this year.
Conversions Offer a More Encouraging Signal
While overall traffic remained below prior-year levels, conversion trends provided a more encouraging signal.
Houston, Phoenix, and Tampa were among the metros that posted stronger conversion performance during the second quarter, indicating a higher share of online shoppers progressed from viewing listings to requesting a home or community tour. Although overall traffic has slowed, the data suggests many active shoppers continue to move forward once they identify homes that align with their needs.
Price remains one of the most important drivers of search behavior. During the second quarter, the median searched home price on NewHomeSource declined to $506,000, while the $300,000 to $500,000 range captured the largest share of activity.
At the same time, buyer preferences for home size remained relatively stable. Search activity continued to center on three- and four-bedroom homes, suggesting shoppers are still looking for functional family-oriented layouts even if they aren’t living in a traditional family setup.
Pools Stand Out Among Amenities
Amenities also continue to evolve as a point of differentiation. Searches for communities with pools have increased significantly over the past two years and now account for more than half of shopper interest related to amenities. By comparison, searches for gated communities and golf-oriented communities have lost share over the same period.
While search data alone cannot explain why preferences are changing, it does provide a useful snapshot of where consumer attention is currently focused.
The insights in this article were taken from a more in-depth quarterly report published in Zonda’s Homebuyer Outlook.
