1502 ET - Eroding margins are causing homebuilders to reduce land acquisitions as well as walk away from land option deals even as home sales start to pick up again, say Zelman & Associates analysts. In the second quarter, total lots controlled by the public builders Zelman covers fell 2%, the first sequential decline in more than two years, while public builder land impairment charges increased. Those trends will likely accelerate in the third quarter with KB Home already saying it walked away from 10% of its optioned lots in the quarter. That could limit long-term upside for builders if demand increases significantly above current levels, the analysts say. (nicholas.miller@wsj.com)
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
September 29, 2025 15:02 ET (19:02 GMT)
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