Lumber prices nearly tripled in the four months into January, adding over $18,600 to the cost to build a new single-family home, according to the National Association of Home Builders. Pandemic-related supply chain issues, high tariffs on Canadian imports and wildfires have contributed to the rise. In a real estate market already ravaged by a dearth of inventory with home construction as an invaluable relief valve, this trend increases one of the primary limiting reagents to a balanced housing market in 2022. Read the chapter 2022 Swanepoel Trend Report chapter, “The Impact of New Construction.” You can access it digitally on T3 Intel.