Homebuying in America: ‘I’m Kind of Squeezed out of Buying a House.’ He Might Build One Instead

Land loans are less standardized than regular mortgages and can come with higher credit score and down payment requirements.

The National Association of Home Builders found the volume of single-family construction loans rose toward the end of 2025 to $91.2 billion, up .5% from a year prior and the first increase in two years. Still, the volume for those loans is less than half of what it was in 2008. Dreamstime/TNS

By Katie Kelton, CCC Bankrate.com

Blake Johnson, a construction superintendent in Seattle, wants to buy land and build a house on it. After all, the 24-year-old has the chops—having worked 60 hours a week for several years on commercial and residential renovations.