Construction News Today — August 19, 2026

As budget season approaches, private builders are feeling the squeeze when it comes to determining how much risk to carry on their projects. This cautious approach is reflected in the latest data on housing starts, which showed a decline in both single-family and multifamily construction in July. With rising costs and uncertainty in the market, builders are being forced to reevaluate their strategies and consider the potential consequences of carrying too much risk.

The multifamily sector, in particular, is showing signs of distress, although data suggests that the problem may be contained for now. Despite this, experts are warning that the current market conditions could have implications for the future of construction and development. In other news, mortgage tech company Tidalwave is continuing its expansion with new hires, and appraisal firm Class Valuation has made an acquisition, buying Allstate Appraisal. Meanwhile, industry experts like Gary Keller are weighing in on the current state of interest rates and what they might mean for the market in the years to come, including predictions for 2026.

Today's signal:
• Budget season squeezes private builders on how much risk to carry (housingwire.com)
• Multifamily distress grows, but data suggest a contained problem (housingwire.com)
• July housing starts fall as both single-family and multifamily slow (housingwire.com)
• Gary Keller tells agents why rates did not fall and what it means for 2026 (housingwire.com)
• Tidalwave continues mortgage tech expansion, hiring Rebecca Frisbie and Zac Basile (housingwire.com)
• Class Valuation acquires Allstate Appraisal (housingwire.com)