Flattening home prices soften affordability pressures for buyers
ATLANTA, GA, UNITED STATES, January 26, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — SRP Lending hosted its annual State of the Housing Industry Luncheon in mid-January, featuring a 2026 housing forecast from Cara Lavender, senior research manager at John Burns Research and Consulting. Lavender identified key trends affecting the national and metro Atlanta-area housing markets.
“2025 showed us that the housing market can shift quickly, and staying informed is more important than ever,” said Geoff Deckelbaum, president of SRP Lending. “Our goal is to provide clients with the financial tools and market insights they need to make confident decisions in a dynamic environment.”
Lavender highlighted a soft macroeconomic backdrop, noting that U.S. job growth in 2025 was the weakest since 2003, excluding pandemic years. Rising layoffs, flat job openings and slowing high-income employment underscore muted economic momentum, even as productivity remained modestly positive. Inflation held at 2.7% in December 2025, and the Federal Reserve cut the federal funds rate to 3.5% in response.
Atlanta Migration and Employment Trends
Migration into Atlanta remains positive but has slowed, with in-migration rising from 4,765 residents in 2024 to 6,191 in 2025. Outlying counties, including Jackson and Henry, saw strong gains, while some in-town counties experienced out-migration because of housing availability and affordability constraints. Employment growth in Atlanta remains positive but muted, reflecting national trends.
New Home Market Faces Pricing Pressure
Builders in Atlanta have maintained steady home sales, though pricing pressure and margin compression persist. New home prices fell 5% year-over-year in December 2025, and inventories of finished homes remain elevated. Construction costs declined slightly nationwide, although land prices and entitlement costs continue to affect margins.
Resale and Fix-and-Flip Market Slowdown
The resale and fix-and-flip markets remain slow, with excess inventory weighing on home values. Lavender forecasts slight declines in existing home prices in 2026, with growth returning in 2027 and 2028. Luxury homes continue to outperform other segments, and investor activity, including mom-and-pop buyers, is starting to rebound.
Single-Family Rentals and Policy Impact
Lavender addressed President Donald Trump’s desire to ban institutional investors from buying single-family homes. She noted that institutional investors currently own just 3% of single-family rentals and purchase only 1% of all U.S. homes. Even if implemented, such action would likely have little effect on housing affordability, which is primarily constrained by the supply and cost of for-sale homes.
The luncheon highlighted SRP Lending’s commitment to keeping clients, investors and partners informed. The annual event provides attendees with expert analysis on housing trends, economic shifts and market developments affecting industry professionals.
For more information about SRP Lending’s services, please visit www.srplending.com.
About SRP Lending:
SRP Lending is a leading private money lender providing quick, flexible, and straightforward loan options for builders and contractors. With a customer-centric approach, SRP Lending prioritizes efficiency, flexibility and customer control over the lending process, offering an effective alternative to traditional bank financing.
For more information, contact SRP Lending at 678-592-7176 or visit www.SRPlending.com.
Carol L Morgan
Denim Marketing
+1 770-383-3360
email us here
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