Katie Hubbard and Erin Sykes break down why affordability remains the key issue in housing. While mortgage demand rises and pending home sales hit a six-month high, new home sales show a significant miss compared to Wall Street estimates. They highlight Lennar (LEN)’s focus on more affordable homes and KB Home (KBH)’s surge after its mixed earnings. They also explain why faster permitting and fewer regulations could have a bigger impact on costs than Fed rate cuts.