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  • D.R. Horton marks 25 years as the nation’s largest homebuilder

    D.R. Horton marks 25 years as the nation’s largest homebuilder

    D.R. Horton closed fiscal 2026 with another major industry milestone: 25 consecutive years as the nation’s largest homebuilder by volume. The company closed 84,202 homes during the year and continues to operate across a broad mix of entry-level, move-up, active-adult and luxury segments.

    The scale of that platform is matched by continued market expansion. D.R. Horton says it has entered 30 new markets and seven new states over the past five years, while roughly 43,500 fiscal 2026 closings served first-time buyers. The combination of geographic reach and product breadth illustrates how the industry’s largest builder continues to pursue growth while serving a wide range of homebuyer needs.

    Expansion by a major builder is especially meaningful in a market where disciplined land strategy and community selection remain critical to maintaining sales pace. D.R. Horton’s continued investment in new markets and diverse housing options underscores the importance of strategic growth, operational efficiency and adapting to evolving buyer demand as the homebuilding industry navigates the next phase of the housing cycle.

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  • Dream Finders expands national reach as closings hit records

    Dream Finders expands national reach as closings hit records

    Dream Finders Homes entered the final stretch of 2026 with record closing activity and a substantially larger national footprint. The builder reported record third-quarter closings of 1,967 homes and record year-to-date closings of 6,127, giving the company positive operating momentum despite a difficult housing environment.

    It’s acquisition of Beazer Homes adds another layer to that growth story. Dream Finders says the transaction expands its reach into California, Nevada, Indiana and Delaware and moves the company to the No. 6 position among U.S. homebuilders by volume. The combination underscores how scale, geographic diversification and acquisition strategy continue to reshape the national builder landscape.

    Expansion by a major builder is especially meaningful in a market where disciplined land strategy and community selection remain critical to maintaining sales pace. For Builder & Developer readers, the larger story is what this development says about where builders are finding momentum and how they are positioning for the next phase of the housing cycle. The industry benefits when growth is tied to tangible investment in communities, product, people and processes rather than short-term promotional activity. That is a constructive signal for the broader builder market.

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  • New appraisal standard gives high-performance homes more visibility

    New appraisal standard gives high-performance homes more visibility

    A new residential appraisal standard from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could give builders a more consistent way to document the features that distinguish today’s higher-performance homes. NAHB says Uniform Appraisal Dataset 3.6, which took effect Nov. 2, represents one of the most significant changes to appraisal reporting in more than a decade.

    The revised reporting structure is designed to capture property characteristics more consistently, including energy efficiency and green building features that historically could be buried in narrative comments. The change does not guarantee higher valuations, but it gives appraisers and lenders a clearer framework for considering the investments builders are making in performance, comfort and efficiency.

    Better documentation at appraisal can help close a long-standing gap between the cost of high-performance features and the value recognized in the transaction process. For Builder & Developer readers, the larger story is what this development says about where builders are finding momentum and how they are positioning for the next phase of the housing cycle. The industry benefits when growth is tied to tangible investment in communities, product, people and processes rather than short-term promotional activity.

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  • NAHB sees opening for housing action after midterms

    NAHB sees opening for housing action after midterms

    The 2026 midterm elections reshaped Congress, but the National Association of Home Builders sees housing as one of the issues most likely to retain bipartisan attention. NAHB says affordability, housing supply, permitting, workforce development and the cost of building materials remain central concerns for lawmakers and voters alike.

    For builders, the important takeaway is less about party control than policy momentum. NAHB expects continued debate over permitting reform, housing finance, tariffs, immigration and regulatory barriers that affect the cost and pace of new construction. With housing affordability still elevated on the national agenda, the association is positioning the industry to press for measures that make it easier to add supply and improve attainable homeownership.

    The practical question for builders is whether election-year attention on housing can be converted into policy that lowers barriers to construction and expands supply. For Builder & Developer readers, the larger story is what this development says about where builders are finding momentum and how they are positioning for the next phase of the housing cycle. The industry benefits when growth is tied to tangible investment in communities, product, people and processes rather than short-term promotional activity.

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