SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF

XHB

Market cap $1.81B

Policy changes on capital gains, regulations, and land use are among the possibilities to ‘fix' housing, Raymond James says.

Pending home sales in August rose 4% from July and were 3.8% higher year-over-year, a strong beat of Wall Street's expectations. The count is based on signed contracts, so it's a forward-looking indicator of closed sales in September and October, CNBC's Diana Olick reports.

Diana Olick joins 'Squawk on the Street' with the latest housing data to cross the tape.

John Lovallo, UBS homebuilders and building products analyst, joins CNBC to discuss KB Home's outlook, stabilization across key markets like Florida and Texas, and why he believes 2026 could be a breakout year for housing if mortgage rates ease.

CNBC's Diana Olick joins 'Squawk on the Street' with the latest home sale data to cross the tape.

Neils Christensen has a diploma in journalism from Lethbridge College and has more than a decade of reporting experience working for news organizations throughout Canada. His experiences include covering territorial and federal politics in Nunavut, Canada.

The median home price rose to $422,600, up 2% from a year ago and the highest price ever for the month of August.

Home sales remain tepid as some home buyers struggle with a market that is still too competitive.

Sales of previously owned homes barely budged in August compared with July, as mortgage rates remained stubbornly high. Those rates are now lower.

Modestly lower mortgage rates could result in a stronger showing this fall, however.