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Crumbling Confidence
Tariffs, rates, and uncertainty push homebuilders to the sidelines
Splits and Caps Daily: Action for Agents
July 21, 2025
📈 Market Move:
Nailed Shut
Builders just hit the brakes. In June, single-family home construction dropped across the board — permits (-8.4%), starts (-10%), completions (-15.5%). That’s not a blip. It’s a trend. And not the good kind.
Why It Matters:
After a strong 2024 finish, builders are now looking around and going, “Yeah… no thanks.” High rates, rising inventory, expensive materials (hello, Canadian lumber tariffs) — it’s a cocktail of reasons to chill instead of build.
Key Takeaways:
The South — once the MVP of new builds — is cooling off fast.
Builders are shifting to bigger, higher-margin projects instead of cookie-cutter homes.
Sentiment is tanking. Many are cutting prices just to move units.
Bottom Line:
Until interest rates ease and consumers feel less broke and more confident, don’t expect a construction comeback. The housing shortage might still be real, but right now? Builders are sitting this one out.
🌟Quote of the Day:
"If you don’t build your dream, someone will hire you to help build theirs." — Tony Gaskins
📊🤔 Agent Poll Results
On 7/18, we asked: If a company offered you $5,000 today to lock in the exclusive right to list your home for the next 40 YEARS… you’d:
The results are in!
A) Take the money. Future me can deal with it.: 0%
B) Laugh, block the number, and sage my house.: 100%
C) Ask if the contract comes with a free burial plot.: 0%
D) Call my lawyer and get paid not to sign.: 0%
I think we’re all on the same page here!
🎉 Fun Fact of the Day:
Listing Look: People Judge a Home Within 15 Seconds. First impressions? Not just for dating. Buyers decide if they like your home before they even see the second room. Curb appeal = emotional manipulation 101.
📚 Book Recommendation:
“Permission Marketing” by Seth Godin—Seth Godin was on the future-of-marketing train before most people even realized there was a train.
In Permission Marketing, he basically says: stop yelling at people and start building trust. Instead of cold-calling strangers or bombarding inboxes with spam, create stuff so valuable that people want to hear from you. Earn attention instead of stealing it. Wild concept, right?
This book was written in the early days of email and banner ads — but the principles? Still 🔥 today. Especially if you’re trying to build an audience, grow a newsletter, or just not be that guy in someone’s DMs.
Bottom line:
Interruptions are annoying. Invitations are powerful. Be invited.
Read this if:
You’re tired of chasing leads and want to start attracting fans.
Nobody cares how you feel. Results still matter.
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