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Top Story
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Midwest and Northeast housing markets hold strong
According to Cotality’s October 2026 U.S. home price insights, national single-family home price growth reaccelerated modestly in August, rising 1.8% year-over-year compared…
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According to Cotality’s October 2026 U.S. home price insights, national single-family home price growth reaccelerated modestly in August, rising 1.8% year-over-year compared to 1.6% in July. This marks the fifth consecutive month of reacceleration in home price growth. The housing market continues to soften, as potential homebuyers pull back in September’s pending home sales.
According to Cotality’s Chief Economist, Dr. Selma Hepp, the core trend shaping the market is the shift away from the once-booming Sunbelt and West Coast cities toward more affordable, inventory-constrained regions in the Midwest and Northeast.
“The national housing market shows a clear split between short-term sensitivity to interest rates and long-term supply shortages,” said Hepp. “High mortgage rates continue to suppress transaction volumes, but severe inventory constraints in the Midwest and Northeast are insulating home prices from broader declines and fueling localized appreciation.”
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Brookfield Residential delivers wildfire-resilient homes in Altadena
In late September 2026, Brookfield Residential welcomed the first homeowners back to La Viña following the early 2025 Eaton Fire, which destroyed…
by
In late September 2026, Brookfield Residential welcomed the first homeowners back to La Viña following the early 2025 Eaton Fire, which destroyed 52 homes in the community.
By partnering with municipal officials to deploy pre-approved design catalogs, the developer delivered quick turnaround times, with the residents moving in only six months after groundbreaking. All units were completed on or under budget while achieving Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) enhanced wildfire-resilience certification.
“After witnessing their many different tragedies, it’s been exceptionally heartwarming to help these families return home,” said Brookfield Residential President and Chief Executive Officer Adrian Foley. “It’s also been instructive for homebuilders such as Brookfield Residential to collaborate on efficient and resilient methods of rebuilding in response to disasters.”
Foley is also a cofounder of the Builders Alliance, a non-profit that brings together homebuilders for fire rebuild efforts. Brookfield Residential has projects in development in Altadena and under pre-development agreements in the Palisades.
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An Enchanting Oceanfront Gem
Blue Heron brings high-class, biophilic design to California’s coast Blue Heron’s luxury biophilic design is easily recognizable in the Las Vegas metropolitan…
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Blue Heron brings high-class, biophilic design to California’s coast
Blue Heron’s luxury biophilic design is easily recognizable in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. While known as a high-end custom homebuilder in Nevada, the Blue Heron team turned their creativity southwest. The builder completed their first custom project in San Diego. That region became home to the builder’s second Californian project: Ora.
Ora is an 8,878-square-foot, four-level residence located along La Jolla’s bluffs. The builder describes it as a coveted oceanfront pearl.
Blue Heron is known for harmoniously blending projects with nature, integrating high-class features that enhance daily functionality.
“Our design philosophy has always centered on the idea that the spaces we inhabit should actively support how we want to live, including physically, mentally and over the long term,” said Tyler Jones, Founder of Blue Heron. “At Blue Heron, that means integrating architecture, technology and environment in a way that feels effortless but is deeply intentional.”
With five bedrooms, eight bathrooms and a four-car garage, the builder seamlessly integrates premium amenities into this not-so-hidden gem.
Pacific Views
La Jolla is a seaside, upscale city known as the jewel of San Diego County. The city is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in Southern California; take it from someone who frequently spends weekends there.
If you’re going to build a coastal luxury home in a beach city like La Jolla, views of the Pacific Ocean are a necessity. Luckily, Blue Heron is no stranger to building around panoramic scenery. The builder’s homes in Las Vegas are often designed to take in views of the nearby Strip, such as the Priva project, an 8,800-square-foot Vegas Modern Villa.
Ora’s walls are lined with expansive floor-to-ceiling windows and glass doors. Not only are these placements an embodiment of a deluxe home, but they also allow a seamless transition from indoor to outdoor living, a feature Blue Heron is renowned for.
Each floor feeds into the outdoors. While the top two floors have their own balconies, the basement opens up to a courtyard surrounded by water, with a floating bridge looming overhead. The builder wanted the home’s bottom floor to influence connectivity, despite being located beneath the main level that opens up to oceanic views.
Like most Californian coastal homes, the backyard steals the show. The home’s main level feeds into the expansive yard from all angles. The dining area quite literally spills into the pool, which faces out towards the Pacific. Every corner of the backyard is built for relaxation, with multiple lounging areas, firepits and an outdoor dining patio. Blue Heron designed a conversation pit and a fire pit close to the edge of the bluff; the perfect spot to take in La Jolla’s breathtaking sunsets.
Refined Luxury
Every inch of the home feels like a timeless, lavish retreat. The home’s neutral color palette, with warm wooden accents throughout, directs the focus outdoors without taking away from the interior’s beauty. The living room and kitchen open up to a vast patio, letting the soft waves define the ambience.
The kitchen is my favorite room in the entire home. Rather than add in textured tiles, the builder placed a mirror backsplash to embrace oceanfront views even when your back is turned.
Moving down into the basement, it wouldn’t be a luxury home without an in-home theater and bar. Flush-mounted linear border lights are hidden in the ceiling tiers to wash the space with indirect lighting. The room’s charcoal gray and black interior emphasizes a cinematic atmosphere.
Ora’s design encourages movement, with multiple ways to travel throughout the home, including a glass elevator and floating stairways.
Building Fine Homes
Blue Heron was founded in 2004, with a vision to redefine luxury living in the Nevada desert. Jones recognized an opportunity to move beyond traditional homebuilding, instead creating a design-driven company. From the beginning, the goal was to build more than just homes, but to create a lifestyle brand centered around innovation, craftsmanship and a deep connection to the surrounding landscape.
The builder prioritizes sustainability, wellness-inspired living and timeless design throughout every project.
Blue Heron’s geographic footprint is expanding beyond the Las Vegas Valley and towards southern Utah, where the builder plans to design spaces that perform in an intentional, personalized way.
Photos courtesy of Blue Heron.
By Taylor Moore. She is the Assistant Editor at Builder and Developer and can be reached at taylor@builder.media.
This story is featured in our October issue of Builder and Developer. Read the print version here.
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Treasury yields jump, mortgage rates follow
Following the Fed’s decision to raise interest rates, the 10-year Treasury yield averaged 4.94%. “Yields climbed as bond markets priced in a…
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Following the Fed’s decision to raise interest rates, the 10-year Treasury yield averaged 4.94%.
“Yields climbed as bond markets priced in a Federal Reserve rate hike ahead of the September FOMC meeting, while weak demand at Treasury auctions added further upward pressure,” said Catherine Koh, Economist at the National Association of Home Builders. “Broader concerns over elevated oil prices and geopolitical tensions, the U.S. fiscal deficit, and strong competition for capital from AI and hyperscaler investment also contributed to the rise in long-term yields.
The 30-year fixed mortgage rate continued to jump and averaged 6.86% in September before climbing to 7% before the month ended. Compared to a year ago, this is higher by 51 bps.
For mortgage rates to be consistently elevated to the 7% threshold, the gains in affordability are effectively weakened. This continues to put pressure on the entry-level market and on builders to offer incentives like rate-buydowns.
However, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate has still not recorded a level past the most recent peak of 7.62% in October 2023.
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B&D Interview: Gonzalo Romero, Chief Design Officer at Blue Heron
Blue Heron’s design-build philosophy, wellness-driven living and the future of luxury homebuilding Builder and Developer: How has Blue Heron differentiated itself as…
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Blue Heron’s design-build philosophy, wellness-driven living and the future of luxury homebuilding
Builder and Developer: How has Blue Heron differentiated itself as a luxury custom home builder?
Gonzalo Romero: From day one, Blue Heron was built as a fully integrated design-build firm — architecture, interior design, outdoor experience design, wellness and construction under one roof — so a home’s vision never gets lost in translation between disciplines. Since Tyler Jones founded the company in 2004, we’ve developed a signature Vegas Modern design philosophy built specifically for the dynamic landscape and climate of Southern Nevada, rather than importing a generic luxury aesthetic and forcing it onto the desert.
Our commitment to biophilic design, homes that dissolve the line between interior and exterior, has become our signature. We’ve now delivered nearly 500 homes and numerous private communities, and we’ve been selected for The New American Home, the National Association of Home Builders’ flagship showcase, four times, in 2009, 2013, 2015 and 2027. This is a recognition that validates the design ethos we’ve spent two decades refining. Most recently, we’ve extended that differentiation into wellness: Our homes aren’t just architecturally significant; they’re engineered to support how their owners actually live.
B&D: Tell us more about Blue Heron’s mission to define The Future of Home.
GR: The Future of Home isn’t a single program; it’s the mission that’s guided us since founding: the belief that design reflects our larger society, and as society changes, so should design. Practically, that shows up in a few concrete ways right now.
We’ve built adaptive climate control, responsive lighting and motorized shading directly into the DNA of our homes, so they behave as intelligently self-regulating environments rather than collections of gadgets. And in March we deepened that mission with Vital Longevity, a wellness and longevity program that treats sleep, recovery, focus and calm as design inputs, not afterthoughts. The throughline is that a home should actively support a person’s life, not just showcase it.
That thinking applies to the whole home, not just its systems. Before we design a room, we study how wind, sun and views move across the site, because the visual experience of a home matters as much as its square footage. From there, we map how natural light will travel through the house over the course of a day, and we plan the connection between indoor and outdoor spaces as carefully as any interior.
It also means designing flexible spaces, because we aren’t building for a one-size-fits-all buyer. Toren, our newest community in Henderson, is a good example. Every home includes a four-car garage, with an optional climate-controlled flex space large enough for a motorhome or a boat, or for a workshop, a studio for crafts and hobbies, a training space or a place for the kids.
Luxury should work with the way people actually live. We want our homes to inspire, inside and out, as works of architecture, and to evolve with how their owners want a home to live and perform for them.
B&D: How does Blue Heron manage different topographies and microclimates while adhering to its design-build philosophy?
GR: This is exactly where being vertically integrated pays off. Because our architects, interior designers, landscape architects and builders sit at the same table from day one, site conditions, grading, sun path, prevailing wind, soil and views inform the design rather than getting discovered (and fought) during construction.
Our current portfolio spans communities across the Las Vegas Valley, Ascaya and MacDonald Highlands in Henderson, Lake Las Vegas, and Southern Highlands. Each has demanded a different response.
The Canyon Residences at Ascaya are sited across elevated terraces within a mountainside setting, while our Lake Las Vegas work has to answer to water, golf-course frontage and lake views simultaneously. The desert itself is a microclimate challenge; triple-digit summers push us toward passive cooling, deep overhangs and glass systems paired with smart shading rather than relying on brute-force HVAC.
As we look beyond Nevada, starting with the red-rock landscape of St. George in Southern Utah, the specific technical solutions will change with terrain and climate, but the underlying discipline doesn’t: Read the site first, then design.
B&D: What is the next major evolution you foresee in luxury homebuilding?
GR: According to the Global Wellness Institute, wellness real estate reached $584 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to $1.1 trillion by 2029. That’s not a niche, that’s a market correction toward what luxury buyers actually want.
The next evolution is homes designed around an individual’s physiology and daily rhythms; air, water, light and acoustics tuned the way a wellness retreat would be but lived in every day. Layered on top of that is the maturing of adaptive, AI-driven building systems that learn a household’s patterns and adjust in real time. Put together, the luxury home stops being a beautiful static object and becomes an active participant in how well someone lives.
Blue Heron announced its expansion into Southern Utah with Vela at Solenté, an exclusive collection of 38 homesites within Clyde Companies’ new master-planned community in Washington, Utah. B&D: What can we expect from Blue Heron in the coming years?
GR: Growth beyond Nevada, without losing the design discipline that built our reputation. Kevin Adams stepped in as CEO in June, Tyler continues to lead our vision, design experience and new-market strategy as founder, and we’re now expanding into St. George in Southern Utah, all while building on our reputation for highly customized luxury homes.
On the design side, expect our wellness focus to expand as we learn from real homeowners living in these environments and expect a high-visibility proof point in 2027. We’ve been named builder and architect for The New American Home 2027, sited within Southern Highlands. It debuts at the NAHB International Builders’ Show in February 2027 and will showcase where wellness-driven, biophilic design is headed next.
B&D: Is there anything else you would like to add?
GR: Just that none of this works if we treat design, wellness and technology as separate initiatives bolted onto a house. The homes we’re proudest of are the ones where you can’t point to where the “wellness feature” is or where the “smart” part starts; it’s just how the home works. That integration is harder to build than any single flashy feature, and it’s the thing I think will define who wins in luxury residential over the next decade.
This is the full interview. Read the print version from the October issue of Builder and Developer here.
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Housing market could stabilize within 5 years
According to Redfin, housing costs could stabilize within the next five years if mortgage rates fall to 6% and home price growth remains steady. On the other end, the housing economy could stabilize at a slightly longer rate, six years, if mortgage rates remain the same, at about 7.5%, and home price growth flattens.
“Many house hunters feel stuck between two bad options: Stretch themselves to buy at today’s rates or wait for lower rates only to see prices climb further out of reach,” said Redfin Senior Economist Asad Khan. “But prospective buyers shouldn’t get hung up on timing the market. These hypothetical scenarios should give would-be buyers and sellers some hope that the market can normalize with only modest changes in rates or prices.”
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Treasury yields jump, mortgage rates follow
Following the Fed’s decision to raise interest rates, the 10-year Treasury yield averaged 4.94%.
“Yields climbed as bond markets priced in a Federal Reserve rate hike ahead of the September FOMC meeting, while weak demand at Treasury auctions added further upward pressure,” said Catherine Koh, Economist at the National Association of Home Builders. “Broader concerns over elevated oil prices and geopolitical tensions, the U.S. fiscal deficit, and strong competition for capital from AI and hyperscaler investment also contributed to the rise in long-term yields.
The 30-year fixed mortgage rate continued to jump and averaged 6.86% in September before climbing to 7% before the month ended. Compared to a year ago, this is higher by 51 bps.
For mortgage rates to be consistently elevated to the 7% threshold, the gains in affordability are effectively weakened. This continues to put pressure on the entry-level market and on builders to offer incentives like rate-buydowns.
However, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate has still not recorded a level past the most recent peak of 7.62% in October 2023.
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U.S. home prices show signs of a steadying market
According to Redfin’s Home Price Index, U.S. home prices increased 0.25% month over month in August 2026 on a seasonally adjusted basis. This shows signs of an easing market, as this is slightly down from 0.26% in July and 0.27% in June. An easing price growth could potentially bring more buyers out from the sidelines.
The biggest increase in U.S. home prices was in St. Louis, where home prices rose 1.1% month over month on a seasonally adjusted basis, followed by Pittsburgh at 1%, San Antonio at 0.9%, San Jose, Calif., at 0.9% and Baltimore at 0.9%. St. Louis’ relatively affordable prices are attracting buyers and propping up prices, while San Francisco’s booming market is likely spilling over into San Jose.
Prices declined year over year in five major metros, four in Texas plus Seattle; Dallas had the biggest drop, followed by Austin, Fort Worth, San Antonio and Seattle. Prices ticked down since Texas has one of the largest buyers’ markets and sellers are likely easing prices as incentives.
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What builders are innovating in Ontario?
The Ontario Home Builders’ Association (OHBA) announced the winners of its 2026 Awards of Distinction (AoD).
The awards recognize excellence across architectural design, room design, image and advertising, on-site sales presentation and renovation.
The Innovation Award went to a program that could change the traditional homebuying experience: Ironstone Building Company’s Try Before You Buy Program.
This program allows prospective homeowners to build purchase credits while leasing, allowing the homeowner to build confidence and equity before committing to ownership.
Menkes Developments Ltd., of Toronto, was awarded Large Volume Builder of the Year. The company holds high distinction across Canada as a high-rise builder and delivered 2,600 suites across five buildings in 2025.
Amsted Design-Build of Ottawa won Builder of the Year in the small volume category. The builder is applauded for its use of digital marketing to drive its custom home department’s growth.
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Brookfield Residential delivers wildfire-resilient homes in Altadena
In late September 2026, Brookfield Residential welcomed the first homeowners back to La Viña following the early 2025 Eaton Fire, which destroyed 52 homes in the community.
By partnering with municipal officials to deploy pre-approved design catalogs, the developer delivered quick turnaround times, with the residents moving in only six months after groundbreaking. All units were completed on or under budget while achieving Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) enhanced wildfire-resilience certification.
“After witnessing their many different tragedies, it’s been exceptionally heartwarming to help these families return home,” said Brookfield Residential President and Chief Executive Officer Adrian Foley. “It’s also been instructive for homebuilders such as Brookfield Residential to collaborate on efficient and resilient methods of rebuilding in response to disasters.”
Foley is also a cofounder of the Builders Alliance, a non-profit that brings together homebuilders for fire rebuild efforts. Brookfield Residential has projects in development in Altadena and under pre-development agreements in the Palisades.
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Tri Pointe Homes acquires 85.6 acres for new Austin community
Tri Pointe Homes, one of the nation’s largest homebuilders, announced the acquisition of 85.6 acres in Northwest Austin, Texas.
The company says that it intends to deliver an estimated 410 homesites in the community, Pearson Ranch.
Plans for the community include a mix of 40-, 45-, and 50-foot single-family homes and two elevations of attached row townhomes across multiple phases.
“We value the opportunity to develop this large portion of Pearson Ranch and bring much-needed housing to the region across a variety of price points,” said Bryan Havel, Division President of Tri Pointe Homes Austin. “With Williamson County’s proximity to major employers and convenient location, it’s no surprise that it is growing by approximately 25,000 residents per year and is among the top 10 fastest-growing counties in the U.S. We’ve put a lot of thought into how to best design and plan this desirable infill location for the benefit of those who will live here. We look forward to watching Pearson Ranch grow into a diverse, amenity-rich, mixed-use community.”
Tri Pointe Homes also noted that the acquisition supports the Austin division’s continued growth.
Land development for the community is likely to start in early 2027, with sales expected to begin in 2028.
Photo courtesy of Tri Pointe Homes
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Midwest and Northeast housing markets hold strong
According to Cotality’s October 2026 U.S. home price insights, national single-family home price growth reaccelerated modestly in August, rising 1.8% year-over-year compared to 1.6% in July. This marks the fifth consecutive month of reacceleration in home price growth. The housing market continues to soften, as potential homebuyers pull back in September’s pending home sales.
According to Cotality’s Chief Economist, Dr. Selma Hepp, the core trend shaping the market is the shift away from the once-booming Sunbelt and West Coast cities toward more affordable, inventory-constrained regions in the Midwest and Northeast.
“The national housing market shows a clear split between short-term sensitivity to interest rates and long-term supply shortages,” said Hepp. “High mortgage rates continue to suppress transaction volumes, but severe inventory constraints in the Midwest and Northeast are insulating home prices from broader declines and fueling localized appreciation.”
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Mortgage rates average 7.28%
According to Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS), the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 7.28% as of Oct. 1, 2026.
“With mortgage rates on their current trajectory, the housing market continues to be supported by favorable economic conditions,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s Chief Economist.
The current 30-year FRM averaged 7.28%, up from 7.03% the previous week. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 6.34%. The 15-year FRM averaged 6.60%, up from 6.42% the previous week. A year ago at this time, the 15-year FRM averaged 5.55%.
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Private residential construction spending rises in August
According to the latest construction spending data from the U.S. Census Bureau, private residential construction spending came in at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $882.3 billion in August 2026. This is up 1.1% from July but down 4.8% from the previous year.
All residential sectors saw an increase, but remodeling posted the largest monthly gain at 2.5%. Spending on single-family and multifamily construction increased by 0.2% in August, but decreased 3.5% and 0.6% from 2025, respectively.
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The trends defining living room design
Living room design is shifting away from the perfect polished look and towards a warmer, lived-in style. Jeannine Bogart, design principal and founder of Epic Interiors, said that built-in storage, warm and neutral layers, softer layouts and darker accents will take center stage in 2027’s living rooms.
According to Bogart, living rooms are working harder than ever now, prompting the need for increased storage.
“They hold books, media, work items, games and family clutter, so storage needs to be better integrated,” said Bogart. “Built-ins will continue to be popular because they make a room feel more intentional while hiding the things people actually live with.”
Bogart said she is also expecting the color palettes to shift away from cold and sterile whites and grays and towards richer, warmer tones, such as taupe or soft brown. Additionally, incorporating a darker color palette will serve as a contrast that adds richness and depth to a space.
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Unusual Angles Driving Innovative Results
When the landscape offers challenges, architects deliver answers
“Some architecture relies on expensive materials, unusually shaped volumes or giant walls of glass,” said Michael Gale, AIA, LEED AP. “This home achieves beauty and comfortable living spaces through simple architectural expression and enjoyable experiences as you meander between those spaces.”
Sprawling over nearly four and a half acres, the View Angle House masterfully directs site design for intuitive living. The View Angle House challenges the obvious decision to build at the top of a hill.
Expressionist Architecture
In collaboration with civil engineer Humann Company and Environmental Foresight on landscape design, initial review of the landscape indicated that the most favorable views were at a 60-degree downhill angle.
Gale has a knack for this sort of design challenge. His background supports this ambition, having worked on internationally renowned projects such as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain.
His parti placed the main house functions in a long bar stretching across the site while angling the great room and primary suite at 60 and 30 degrees, respectively. With the bar’s retaining wall against the hillside, Gale shifted the garage further into the hill, creating an entry court. To the west of the home, a central circulation corridor with frosted glass and steel canopy separates the home gym from the main structure.
These decisions allowed the great room and primary suite to connect with the main structure while creating intimate sightlines of the landscape and outdoor living areas.
Element Execution
The 5,523-square-foot home takes direction from the land surrounding it, with vertical cedar siding in the portion inspired by hillside grasses. The two angled rooms are clad in stone and finished with off-center dynamic roofs to provide shade to the outdoor spaces.
Inside the great room, the 17-foot vaulted walnut-planked ceiling is juxtaposed by the exposed metal trusses, a balance of agrarian yet refined material choices. Gale noted that this element was both the most fun and fulfilling part to design.
“Although the house engages with the views outside at every moment, the steel trusses in the great room are about celebrating this particular moment of the interiors with a completely one-off structural solution,” said Gale.
Diamond Construction elegantly executed these elements. The great room also connects to the south infinity pool, outdoor kitchen and patio through dual multipanel sliding glass door systems; while openings to the north provide an exclusive view of the courtyard.
Economy of Design
These two key rooms provide a unique atmosphere of the home, but the rest of the project’s design is not overlooked. The home offers two kitchens, one indoor with an oversized island built for entertaining and an outdoor one for cooking poolside. Additionally, it is fitted with a climate-controlled wine room, dedicated office space and two additional bedrooms.
Gale’s reflection on the project is grounded in its economy of design, the art of maximizing spatial elements and functionality while delivering on value. For the View Angle House, it taught a larger lesson: that the simplest option is often not the most obvious. Expression is
The project’s ethos gained recognition at the 2026 Gold Nugget Awards, claiming the Grand Award for Best One-of-a-Kind Home.
“It is truly wonderful that the PCBC Golden Nugget Awards program recognizes the extraordinary efforts that go into the highest quality developer-driven homes,” said Gale. “When I work hard and the consultants and the builder all work hard and collaborate productively to make an amazing home, I’m so incredibly grateful that PCBC can see that and acknowledges that with an award.”
By Sofia Feeney. She is the Editor at Builder and Developer and can be reached at sofia@builder.media.
This story is also featured in B&D September, read the print version.
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The new trends defining fall’s luxury interiors
Restrained color palettes have defined luxury interiors for years. This fall, however, interior design is shifting towards warmer and darker tones.
Pale white oak and bleached finishes are being replaced by walnut, espresso oak and other rich brown woods. It is no secret why; dark wood introduces depth into a space, especially against ivory upholstery, travertine, alabaster or warm white walls. Rather than feel heavy, it feels intentional.
The traditional fall decor is easily recognizable with oranges, rusts and browns. However, this year is becoming more nuanced, moving toward richer, earthy tones. Cinnamon, caramel, tobacco and ochre bring warmth into a home. Oxblood, merlot and burgundy introduce a deeper, more dramatic note and could serve as a rich contrast. Mineral greens, earthy clays and muted purples round out the palette, creating interiors that feel distinctly autumnal without relying on the traditional autumn palette.
One of the biggest design shifts in luxury interiors is in materials. Velvet, silk, mohair, fine wool, carved wood, natural stone, antiqued metal and textured plaster are all gaining momentum as interiors embrace a more tactile approach to luxury.
Reflective surfaces are also being used strategically to introduce light, movement and dimension into these emerging deeper interiors.
Exclusive Feature
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The Architecture of Quiet
Designing Inner Peace for calm on a difficult hillside site The hills of Tustin do not compromise. They rise in dry, sun-baked…
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Market share of 5,000-square-feet homes inches higher
The market share of homes 5,000 square feet or more accounted for 2.9% of all new home starts in 2025. According to annual data from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC), both the number and market share of homes with 5,000 square feet or more increased, from 24,000 homes in 2024 to 27,000 homes in 2025.
In 2015, the 5,000-square-foot share reached a record high of 3.9%. Since then, it has fluctuated between 2.3% and 3.1%.
Among homes of 5,000 square feet or more built in 2025, 86% have a porch, 73% have a finished basement, 73% have four or more bathrooms, 68% have a patio, 66% have a three-or-more-car garage, 57% have five or more bedrooms and 51% belong to a community association.
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Berkshire Hathaway now owns 10% stake in Lennar
A few weeks ago, we reported that Berkshire Hathaway doubled down on its housing market investment. This week, the company further sustained its ownership in Lennar, bringing its total ownership of the homebuilder to 10%.
According to SEC filings, the major conglomerate bought a mix of Class A and Class B shares from Sept. 17- 21.
This happened after Warren Buffett, who grew the company, stepped down as Chairman of the Board but will remain as Chairman Emeritus.
Berkshire Hathaway’s presence in the market continues through its ownership of Taylor Morrison and Clayton Homes, the modern manufactured homebuilder, which it acquired in 2003.
Despite the building industry facing major headwinds in affordability, this move aligns with the company’s history of placing trust in undervalued sectors and companies.
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The trends defining living room design
Living room design is shifting away from the perfect polished look and towards a warmer, lived-in style. Jeannine Bogart, design principal and founder of Epic Interiors, said that built-in storage, warm and neutral layers, softer layouts and darker accents will take center stage in 2027’s living rooms.
According to Bogart, living rooms are working harder than ever now, prompting the need for increased storage.
“They hold books, media, work items, games and family clutter, so storage needs to be better integrated,” said Bogart. “Built-ins will continue to be popular because they make a room feel more intentional while hiding the things people actually live with.”
Bogart said she is also expecting the color palettes to shift away from cold and sterile whites and grays and towards richer, warmer tones, such as taupe or soft brown. Additionally, incorporating a darker color palette will serve as a contrast that adds richness and depth to a space.
Latest Issue
Sept 2026
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This issue of Builder and Developer features the Award Winning Architecture and Design.
Exclusive Feature
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A More Balanced Market is Here
The housing market finally feels more normal. Buyers have more choices, bidding wars have become less common and builders are once again…
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AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index reports modest growth in August
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) latest AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index posted a score of 47.2, indicating soft inquiries, contracts and project activity across the sector.
This is a slight increase from the July reporting of 46.6. Additionally, AIA reported that employment increased for architectural services by an estimated 700 positions.
Despite these modest gains, persistent inflation and high borrowing costs continue to weigh on the sector.
“Architecture firms are caught between stubborn inflation and higher borrowing costs,” said AIA Chief Economist Richard Branch. “The Federal Reserve’s latest rate increase may help ease inflationary pressures over time, but in the near term it adds another headwind for projects already facing a difficult financing environment.”
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Single-family housing starts exceed estimate
The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development released their Monthly New Residential Construction Report for August 2026. Single-family housing starts totaled 918,000 in August, up 7.6% from the revised July figure of 853,000. Privately owned housing starts in August were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,275,000, down 2.6% from the revised July estimate.
“New home sales continue to highlight a growing divide between the new and existing home markets,” said Cotality Chief Economist Dr. Selma Hepp. “Homebuilders have become increasingly aggressive in using price cuts, mortgage rate buydowns, and other incentives to attract buyers, effectively shifting homes from ‘for sale’ to ‘on sale.’ As a result, new construction is offering a more affordable path to homeownership for many first-time buyers and helping sustain housing market activity despite a prolonged period of elevated mortgage rates.”
Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in August were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,394,000, 2.7% below the revised July rate.
Privately-owned housing completions in August were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,128,000, 1.9% below the revised July estimate of 1,280,000 and 27.1% below the August 2025 rate of 1,548,000. Single-family housing completions in August were at a rate of 816,000; this is 10.4% below the revised July rate of 911,000.
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Unusual Angles Driving Innovative Results
When the landscape offers challenges, architects deliver answers
“Some architecture relies on expensive materials, unusually shaped volumes or giant walls of glass,” said Michael Gale, AIA, LEED AP. “This home achieves beauty and comfortable living spaces through simple architectural expression and enjoyable experiences as you meander between those spaces.”
Sprawling over nearly four and a half acres, the View Angle House masterfully directs site design for intuitive living. The View Angle House challenges the obvious decision to build at the top of a hill.
Expressionist Architecture
In collaboration with civil engineer Humann Company and Environmental Foresight on landscape design, initial review of the landscape indicated that the most favorable views were at a 60-degree downhill angle.
Gale has a knack for this sort of design challenge. His background supports this ambition, having worked on internationally renowned projects such as the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain.
His parti placed the main house functions in a long bar stretching across the site while angling the great room and primary suite at 60 and 30 degrees, respectively. With the bar’s retaining wall against the hillside, Gale shifted the garage further into the hill, creating an entry court. To the west of the home, a central circulation corridor with frosted glass and steel canopy separates the home gym from the main structure.
These decisions allowed the great room and primary suite to connect with the main structure while creating intimate sightlines of the landscape and outdoor living areas.
Element Execution
The 5,523-square-foot home takes direction from the land surrounding it, with vertical cedar siding in the portion inspired by hillside grasses. The two angled rooms are clad in stone and finished with off-center dynamic roofs to provide shade to the outdoor spaces.
Inside the great room, the 17-foot vaulted walnut-planked ceiling is juxtaposed by the exposed metal trusses, a balance of agrarian yet refined material choices. Gale noted that this element was both the most fun and fulfilling part to design.
“Although the house engages with the views outside at every moment, the steel trusses in the great room are about celebrating this particular moment of the interiors with a completely one-off structural solution,” said Gale.
Diamond Construction elegantly executed these elements. The great room also connects to the south infinity pool, outdoor kitchen and patio through dual multipanel sliding glass door systems; while openings to the north provide an exclusive view of the courtyard.
Economy of Design
These two key rooms provide a unique atmosphere of the home, but the rest of the project’s design is not overlooked. The home offers two kitchens, one indoor with an oversized island built for entertaining and an outdoor one for cooking poolside. Additionally, it is fitted with a climate-controlled wine room, dedicated office space and two additional bedrooms.
Gale’s reflection on the project is grounded in its economy of design, the art of maximizing spatial elements and functionality while delivering on value. For the View Angle House, it taught a larger lesson: that the simplest option is often not the most obvious. Expression is
The project’s ethos gained recognition at the 2026 Gold Nugget Awards, claiming the Grand Award for Best One-of-a-Kind Home.
“It is truly wonderful that the PCBC Golden Nugget Awards program recognizes the extraordinary efforts that go into the highest quality developer-driven homes,” said Gale. “When I work hard and the consultants and the builder all work hard and collaborate productively to make an amazing home, I’m so incredibly grateful that PCBC can see that and acknowledges that with an award.”
By Sofia Feeney. She is the Editor at Builder and Developer and can be reached at sofia@builder.media.
This story is also featured in B&D September, read the print version.
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What metro report cards reveal about homebuilding and affordability
While REALTOR explored the housing industry’s geographic variation at a state level earlier this year, a new analysis from the company explored the 100 largest metros in the United States. Ten metro areas received a grade in the “A” range, while each scored greater than 50 on both the affordability and homebuilding components: Des Moines-West Des Moines in Iowa, Raleigh-Cary in North Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, Houston, Indianapolis, Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos in Texas, Jacksonville, Fla., Oklahoma City, Palm Bay-Melbourne in Florida and Columbus, Ohio.
REALTOR’S metro report card revealed a similar pattern to the state one. The South and Midwest are home to the strongest performers, while the West and Northeast received a lower grade. Lower housing costs relative to incomes and higher levels of new construction activity are more common in the Midwest and South, where home prices are lower, job markets are robust, land is more affordable and available. Local policies around zoning and permitting are also more permissive.
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BLM sells 940-acres for future master-planned community in Nevada
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced the sale of 940 acres of federally managed public land to the City of Las Vegas. The $94 million sale is expected to make way for up to 6,000 homes in a new master-planned community, Monument Hills.
“This is exactly the kind of bold action Nevada needs to increase our housing supply and make housing more attainable for hardworking Nevada families,” said Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo.
Developed by Olympia Companies, the project is expected to deliver single-family detached homes, townhomes, multi-family and mixed-use structures.
Olympia Companies also developed the Skye Canyon and Southern Highlands communities with builders Century Communities, Toll Brothers, LGI Homes and Blue Heron.
The builders for Monument Hills have yet to be announced. However, the community design guidelines are public.
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The new trends defining fall’s luxury interiors
Restrained color palettes have defined luxury interiors for years. This fall, however, interior design is shifting towards warmer and darker tones.
Pale white oak and bleached finishes are being replaced by walnut, espresso oak and other rich brown woods. It is no secret why; dark wood introduces depth into a space, especially against ivory upholstery, travertine, alabaster or warm white walls. Rather than feel heavy, it feels intentional.
The traditional fall decor is easily recognizable with oranges, rusts and browns. However, this year is becoming more nuanced, moving toward richer, earthy tones. Cinnamon, caramel, tobacco and ochre bring warmth into a home. Oxblood, merlot and burgundy introduce a deeper, more dramatic note and could serve as a rich contrast. Mineral greens, earthy clays and muted purples round out the palette, creating interiors that feel distinctly autumnal without relying on the traditional autumn palette.
One of the biggest design shifts in luxury interiors is in materials. Velvet, silk, mohair, fine wool, carved wood, natural stone, antiqued metal and textured plaster are all gaining momentum as interiors embrace a more tactile approach to luxury.
Reflective surfaces are also being used strategically to introduce light, movement and dimension into these emerging deeper interiors.
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September builder confidence at 32
In the September National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) /Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), builder confidence fell three points from August to 32.
This is the lowest recorded report since September 2025.
NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz noted that this is likely a continuation of headwinds facing the homebuilding industry: building materials costs rising, elevated mortgage rates and labor concerns.
With buyers more discerning, builders continue to offer incentives, up 3% from August. The HMI survey also reported that more builders cut prices than in August, but only by 1%.
Regionally, the Midwest remains the strongest market despite dropping one point to 44. The Northeast saw the greatest decline, from 44 to 38. The South and the West remained fairly stagnant, with the South falling one point (31) and the West gaining one (28).
With the Fed raising interest rates on Sept.16, 2026, builder buying power may also take a hit.
“The HMI shows builder confidence at its lowest level since September 2025, as tight lending conditions and elevated land, labor and construction costs persist,” said Dietz. “Notably, 42% of builders rated current lot availability as poor and 38% as fair.”
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Bay Area estate is August’s highest home sale
An estate in Hillsborough, Calif., sold for $70 million and was the highest U.S. home sale in August, followed by a $51.5 million waterfront villa in Miami Beach, Fla. California is home to six of August’s 10 priciest sales, with four in the Bay Area and two in Orange County.
Three of the most expensive homes sold were in Florida, with each selling at $30 million or more. A beach-compound in Hawaii sold for $38.2 million, earning it fifth place in August’s top 10 most expensive home sales.
San Francisco’s luxury housing market has been performing well throughout 2026, as AI wealth continues to drive the housing market in the Bay Area.
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Fischer Homes taps new President
Fischer Homes, a privately held homebuilder operating in 11 markets, announced Jason Finch as its president.
This decision is part of a broader leadership restructure and divides the president and chief operating officer roles into two positions. The COO, Jay Smith, will continue in his position.
Finch first joined the company in 2013 and most recently served as region president for the South Region. He will now oversee the builder’s growth strategy.
“Jason has consistently demonstrated the leadership, business judgment and ability to develop strong teams that this role requires,” said Tim McMahon, CEO of The Fischer Group. “He understands how to turn strategy into results while keeping people at the center of the business. His talent, experience and proven record make him the right leader to guide Fischer Homes through its next phase of growth.”
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