With all the "For Sale" signs we've seen curbside over the course of the last year, it's hard to believe we're even talking about a home shortage-but it actually could happen with new home sales. For buyers who have been saving for years to purchase their brand-new or custom-built dream home, the housing pool could be shrinking. That means buyers will pay higher prices for the new homes that are available.

Recent federal regulators have made it more difficult for builders to secure loans to build new homes. Federal guidelines are tightening the screws on banks, suggesting they restrict commercial loans to less than 300% of total capacity. The guidelines were never adopted; however, banks still feel the pressure, to the point where they require home builders to pay off loans instead of refinancing.

So what does this mean to you, the buyer looking for a new home? New homes are being sold quicker than they can be built because of the banks' stringent lending policies. If you want to have your chance at the best selection of new homes available, now is the time to buy.

Labels: commercial loans, federal lending guidelines, federal regulators, new home sales, new home shortage