Melissa Stockton for Property Reach

Summer 2025 home permit trends and hotspots

It’s mid-2025, and the U.S. housing market is still wrestling with two opposing forces: high mortgage rates that slow buyer traffic, and a housing shortage that keeps demand alive. Property Reach analyzed building permit data from the National Association of Home Builders and the Census Bureau from May through July to show how builders are navigating this tension.

Permits fell year over year across most of the country in all three months, but the story is uneven. Some regions are pushing ahead with new projects, while others have tapped the brakes to reassess costs and sales activity.

May: Housing Permit Experience Early Summer Slowdown

May’s numbers signaled that construction momentum was cooling. Singl

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