Each month, Zonda surveys builders across the country to gauge sentiment around the housing market. This survey is intended to supplement Zonda’s proprietary database by asking builders more qualitative questions. The anonymous survey covers everything from consumer sentiment to broader macroeconomic topics like tariffs and immigration. Results are tracked over time and analyzed geographically to capture real-time shifts in builder and consumer confidence.
Below are three key takeaways from the April responses:
- A notable deceleration.
- Incentives remain in focus.
- A disconnect between sentiment and starts forecasts.
A Notable Deceleration.
March sentiment reflected a split market, with some builders reporting solid activity while others described softer conditions. By April, however, the slowdown became more pronounced. Nearly three-quarters of builders surveyed (72%) indicated that demand was slower than expected, signaling that early spring momentum failed to materialize for many markets.
The insights in this article were taken from a more detailed monthly review of the survey’s findings published in Zonda’s National Outlook.
