Homebuilder sentiment recently reached its third-lowest level since 2012. 

The surprisingly large decline in the pace of housing starts comes as builder sentiment remains depressed by tariff worries and high prices. 

The pace of new-home construction was higher than economists expected, even as homebuilders expressed concern about the impact of tariffs and supply-side challenges. 

At the same time, the median sales price for a new home hit its highest level since 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.   

At the same time, builder sales expectations for the next six months posted their second-largest drop since the sentiment index started in 1985. 

What exactly goes into homebuilding costs, and how do those costs translate to profits for builders — and home prices for buyers?

The median-sales price slid from $425,600 in October to $402,600 last month. 

Multifamily construction, meanwhile, rose on a monthly basis. 

Highland is the first of seven builders to begin selling at the 2,400-home, master-planned community, Grange.

New-home prices, meanwhile, were mixed among the state’s largest cities, according to the latest report from HomesUSA. 

The median price of a new home sold during the month was also up, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 

The development is the first stand-alone Ritz-Carlton condominium community in Texas. 

Multifamily starts, meanwhile, declined, the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said.    

The wellness-focused community’s second phase comprises almost 300 lots. 

The 716,000 per-year rate of new-home sales topped the consensus estimate of 700,000. 

The 67-single-family-home community is located on 10 acres in Montgomery.