With inventory still low, more home buyers look to plan B: new builds. But that, too, has become tough with land and labor growing scarcer and supply chain struggles lingering.
Because of the prices, as well as significant shortages, many architects, builders, and homebuyers are asking two key questions: How long will the surge continue and why did it happen in the first place? Tony Uphoff, president and CEO of Thomas, which provides analysis and tools that reflect the buying process, says his company data shows a steady surge in sourcing activity for lumber over the last year.