Podcast Summary: Your Money Minute – Newly Built Home Prices Fall

Podcast: Your Money Minute
Host: CNBC (Jessica Ettinger)
Episode Date: January 27, 2026
Runtime: 60 seconds
Main Theme:
Today's episode offers a timely update on newly built home prices in the U.S., recent affordability trends, and policy impacts following a delayed government housing report.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. New Construction Home Prices Drop

• Host Jessica Ettinger opens with the news that average prices for newly built homes have dropped:
  • The median price of new homes sold in October was $392,000.
    • This is a 3.3% decline from the previous month’s price ($405,000).
    • Year-over-year, prices fell 8% from October 2024.
  • (00:14)

    "The median price of a home sold in October was $392,000. This is 3.3% below the September price of 405, 8% below October 2024." – CNBC's Diana Olick

2. Affordability Trends

• New construction homes are briefly noted as currently more affordable than existing homes, with affordability moving “in the right direction.”
• The host highlights growing opportunities for buyers in a cooling market.
  • (00:26)

    "New construction homes are more affordable than existing homes and affordability is moving in the right direction." – Jessica Ettinger

3. Policy & Political Context

• Reference to President Trump's recent call for a ban on large companies buying up newly built homes to convert into rentals.
• The intention: enhance homebuyer access by limiting institutional investor purchases.

4. Expert Perspective: Skepticism about Policy Impact

• James Pethokoukis (American Enterprise Institute) challenges the idea that private equity is the main cause of housing unaffordability:
  • Studies show private equity ownership is not significantly impacting housing affordability.
  • Pethokoukis expresses concern about “uncertainty” generated by politicizing the market.
  • (00:51)

    "All the studies and the data show that private equity buying housing is not a key driver at all of this affordability issue. Yet the president embraces it. That is wildly unsettling that the president sort of can't be talked down using sort of reality. And again, you know, chief had a lot of people on this show talk about uncertainty. It's not a hand wavy thing. It's a real issue." – James Pethokoukis

5. Actual Market Impact

• Only about 3% of newly built homes in the US are sold to companies that rent them out, according to the host.
  • (01:16)

    "Some home builders do sell off some of their homes to companies who rent them out, but it's about 3% of the entire US new construction home market." – Jessica Ettinger

Notable Quotes

• (00:14)

  "The median price of a home sold in October was $392,000. This is 3.3% below the September price of 405, 8% below October 2024."
  — Diana Olick, CNBC

• (00:51)

  "All the studies and the data show that private equity buying housing is not a key driver at all of this affordability issue. Yet the president embraces it. That is wildly unsettling that the president sort of can't be talked down using sort of reality."
  — James Pethokoukis, American Enterprise Institute

• (01:16)

  "Some home builders do sell off some of their homes to companies who rent them out, but it's about 3% of the entire US new construction home market."
  — Jessica Ettinger

Additional Information

• For more on home buying, listeners are directed to CNBC.com.

Quick Reference Timeline

| Timestamp | Segment/Highlights | |-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00 | Jessica Ettinger introduces the episode and the core news | | 00:14 | Diana Olick shares price and affordability details | | 00:26 | Policy context – President Trump's proposed ban | | 00:51 | James Pethokoukis rebuts policy efficacy and highlights uncertainty | | 01:16 | Final note on actual corporate sales share; refer to CNBC.com |

This concise, data-driven episode breaks down the latest trends in new home pricing, setting straight the facts versus political debate for would-be buyers.