Widespread shortages on building materials continue to prompt home builders to raise their prices. Material prices have increased by 26% over the past year for building the same house, according to National Association of Home Builders data. That\u2019s put pressure on new-home prices: In May, the median price of a newly built home was 18% higher than a year ago, at $374,400.<\/p>\n
Material shortages have increased for appliances<\/a>,\u00a0paint<\/a>, lumber, and more.<\/p>\n Paint Shortage Adds to Construction, Remodeling Woes<\/a><\/p>\n Appliance, Furniture Shortages Cause Headaches<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n To help offset these higher prices, builders are raising their prices and pre-ordering items, according to the latest monthly survey of the NAHB\/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index.<\/p>\n Forty-five percent of builders surveyed are also adding in price escalation clauses to protect themselves from rising prices during the process but passing those higher costs on to buyers.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Also, 39% of builders say they are waiting until late in the construction process to list a spec home in case prices increase more.<\/p>\n Some of the highest increases in material costs have been in lumber. Some builders have even changed their building methods as a result. Some builders are switching from traditional wood framing to other materials. Seventeen percent of builders said they were considering switching to steel, 16% to structural insulated panels, 14% to insulated concrete forms, and 8% to concrete masonry.<\/p>\n However, lumber prices have started to fall, now dropping for eight consecutive weeks. Lumber prices are now down more than 50% from their peak in early May.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/magazine.realtor\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/asset_image_full_content\/public\/assets\/images\/7.6.2021_Building.jpg?itok=dHHIM2VH\")
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