The Wells Fargo Housing Market Index Declines Again In March, Dismal Traffic

Homebuilder confidence is lowest level in seven months.

The NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) dropped again in March.

NAHB Key Findings March 2025

  • Current sales conditions fell three points to 43.
  • Sales expectations in the next six months held steady at 47.
  • Traffic of prospective buyers dropped five points to 24.
  • 29% of builders cut home prices in March, up from 26% in February.
  • The average price reduction was 5% in March, the same rate as the previous month.
  • The use of sales incentives was 59% in March, unchanged from February.

Sales incentives and price cuts are having little positive impact on traffic or purchases.

HMI Methodology

The HMI is a weighted average of the three components included in the monthly builder survey: present sales of new single-family homes, expected sales of single-family homes for the next six months, traffic of prospective buyers of new single-family homes. The weights are:

  • .5920 for Present Sales
  • .1358 for Expected Sales
  • .2722 for Buyer Traffic

NAHB Wells Fargo Housing Market Index

Traffic, the index, and present conditions are all at dismal levels historically speaking.

Related Posts

January 24, 2025: For the Full Year, 2024 Existing-Home Sales Lowest in Nearly 30 Years

2024 was a terrible year for Realtors. Will 2025 be any better?

February 21, 2025: Existing-Home Sales Drop 4.9 Percent in January, More Than Expected

After three months of increases, sale took a big dive in January.

March 15, 2025: The Case-Shiller Home Price Index Hits Another New Record High, Thank the Fed

I have not commented on Case-Shiller for a while. Here is a batch of new charts.

Prices are high but few are buying.

Fedthink! The Fed Is Incompetent by Design and Can’t Be Fixed

On February 3, I commented Fedthink! The Fed Is Incompetent by Design and Can’t Be Fixed

The Fed destroyed liquidity in the housing market with massive QE that allowed existing owners to refinance at cheap rates fueling inflation via permanent lower mortgage rate (extra money in pockets), while screwing all potential new buyers with runaway prices and higher mortgage rates.


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