- Real Estate Roundup
- Posts
- Building Bummer
Building Bummer
Homebuilder sentiment hits 14-year low
#101
WELCOME
August is when a lot of agents slow down. Kids are back in school, the vacations are winding down, and you’re adjusting to a new routine, so it’s easy to slack off on your growth habits. But it’s also when buyers and sellers start paying attention again. So if you’ve been waiting for a cue to show up, kickstart your strategies, or make a strong year-end push, this is it.
Let the other agents coast into fall. You’ve got deals to close.
The hardest part of cold calling is being ready to respond to anything they might throw at you. The fear of saying the wrong thing—or worse, getting rejected—stops the majority of agents from ever picking up the phone. That’s why this episode of Rise Above the Ranks gets into the specific words you should use to turn answers into opportunities. Tap to listen to David’s tactical tips on cold calling and how to prepare before you dial so you can respond to any comment.
TRACK THE MARKET – Census Says: Construction is up
According to the latest report by the US Census Bureau, new home construction grew slightly in July, largely driven by multifamily construction. It’s a turnaround from June, but not quite the surge the market was hoping for—and builder sentiment shows it. Builder perceptions of the single-family housing market dropped to its lowest level so far this year, falling to the lowest score for August seen since 2011 during the Great Recession recovery. As the NAR sees it, headwinds like housing affordability, supply-side costs, labor shortages, and regulatory burden are all holding new construction back.
By the numbers:
Single-family starts rose 2.8% in July, while completions jumped 11.6%—an improvement from June’s declines.
Builder confidence dropped to 32, the lowest reading of 2025 and one of the weakest since 2011.
66% of builders are offering purchase incentives, the highest rate since the pandemic era.
For buyers, these incentives can be a good reason to choose new construction—and move quickly. Especially when the incentives are paired with price cuts. But considering construction rates are hardly making progress on the housing shortage, don’t expect deep price cuts this year.
DIVE IN
The Friday Five
📖 Slow summer. What this strange market has to offer buyers, sellers, and investors.
👀 Captain crossfit. See inside Chris Evans’ LA mansion—and the gym he used to train for Captain America.
👀 Built for Beckhams. The Beckham’s home builder is at it again with a stunning South FL estate.
💡 The accidental landlord. Calculating the cost of keeping your first home as a rental.
💡 Commissions are climbing. The data is in, and commissions have rebounded.
Inside Estate Elite’s 90-Day Challenge
We’re a few weeks into the Estate Elite 90-Day Challenge—and the insights just keep coming. From defining your niche to building high-impact partnerships, these sessions are all about helping agents sharpen their strategy and elevate their brand in just three months.
Over the past few weeks, we’ve covered defining your luxury market with Tracy Tutor, polishing your brand and online presence with Glennda Baker, and building social authority with James Harris—and we’re just getting started.
Whether you’re ready to start landing luxury leads or you’re just starting out, these exclusive Q&A sessions, resources, and coaching opportunities give you tactical advice from agents at the top of their game.
WHAT’S NEW FROM ESTATE MEDIA
New from Estate Media: Mansions & Martinis
What’s better than luxury real estate, celebrity gossip, cold martinis, and completely unfiltered hot takes from Tracy Tutor and Josh Flagg? How about a brand new weekly show that combines all four—and is now streaming exclusively on Estate Media’s YouTube channel!
Mansions & Martinis is a four-part series filmed in one night, and as the martinis get stronger so do the opinions. From what really happened after the last season of MDLLA and who’s the most annoying agent Josh and Tracy can’t stand to work with, to how to make your own Million Dollar Martini, tap to catch all the tea, the talks, and the tips.
FEATURED LUXURY LISTING
TIPS & TAKEAWAYS
Quote of the week
“When you invest in real estate you stop working for your money and your money starts working for you.” - Glennda Baker
Real estate can become an incredible wealth-building engine when you learn how to run it. Once you get the hang of it, it can continue growing for decades—and pay off every year along the way. Keep showing up, stay consistent, and keep learning. If you stick with it, there’s no better investment.
HANGS & HAPPENINGS
Tom Ferry Success Summit | Dallas, TX | August 26 - 28. Join thousands of top-producing agents for Tom Ferry’s signature event, packed with actionable strategies, mindset shifts, and high-energy coaching.
Before we go…
ESTATE RECOMMENDED RESOURCES
📣WANT TO REACH 100K+ REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS RIGHT IN THEIR INBOX?
Promote your brand with Estate Weekly and get noticed by the leading professionals in the real estate industry. Our subscribers include high-income decision-makers, investors, and key players in the real estate sector. For more information, please email [email protected].