Many New Home Shoppers are Still Motivated to Buy Regardless of Housing Affordability Challenges Today, the experts at Zonda, the housing industry's foremost advisors, released the New Home Market Update report for May 2023. We are in the "life happens" housing market, one where sales are driven primarily by changes in life stage and lifestyle. Marriage, divorce, death, retirement, downsizing, having children, and relocating encourage a move despite the mortgage lock-in effect, housing affordability challenges, and economic uncertainty. In other times, investors, flippers, fear of missing out, and moving out of 'want' versus 'need' were more prevalent.
The overall demand pool is down compared to the past few years, but the lack of inventory is keeping prices firm and competition high for desirable homes. Many builders continue to benefit from the ability to compete with the resale market by offering quick move-in homes, the ability to work with…