Share of Custom-Built Homes Increased in 2019

According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC), the share of custom-built homes increased to 20.2%, or one fifth of all single-family starts in 2019. The custom home market is made of both contractor-built or owner- built houses, which are built one at a time for owner occupancy on the owner’s land with either the owner or builder acting as the general contractor. The alternative are homes built for sale, on the builder’s land, with the intention of selling the house and land in one transaction. An analysis of all 9 census divisions shows that the largest number of custom-built homes was in the New England division at 41.4%, while the South Atlantic division showed the least at 13.2%.