The NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index slipped to 36 in February 2026 from 37 in January, defying expectations for an improvement to 38. This marked the weakest reading in five months and underscored persistent headwinds in the US housing sector. Builder sentiment declined across most components: sales expectations for the next six months fell three points to 46, and the index of prospective buyer traffic dropped two points to 22. By contrast, the gauge of current sales conditions held steady at 41. The survey also showed that 36% of builders reduced home prices during the month, down 4 percentage points from January.