What Custom Builders are Doing Differently in 2026

Our latest poll results are out. And while there are no dramatic shifts heading into 2026, it's notable that nearly a third of you plan to ramp up production, which says something about confidence in your pipeline going into the new year (Let me know what's working for you on that front).

Another 22% are leaning into tech and AI, while 17% are forming strategic partnerships to expand capabilities and feed those hungry pipelines. The rest are reportedly testing spec homes, adding services like interior design, or eyeing new markets. See the full poll results in our Signals section, below.

Whatever your moves, here's to making 2026 count!

—Pauline Hammerbeck, Editor, Custom Builder

Signals: What We're Tracking

Cultural Landmark Hits the Market

An icon of midcentury architecture, the Stahl house in Los Angeles has hit the market for the first time, at an asking price of $25 million. Sold by the children of the orginal owners, the home is being pitched as a "museum-grade architectural artifact" in the listing. Not ringing a bell? This iconic photo might jog your memory.

Volcano-Powered Homes Coming to Oregon

Engineers are drilling into Oregon's active Newberry Volcano to tap geothermal energy, with plans to sell it to the surrounding community in 2027. A new superhot rock technology taps formerly unreachable high-heat locations, providing up to 10 times more energy, using 75% less water, and drilling 80% fewer wells, the company says.

West Palm Beach Leads 'Sunbelt Luxury Surge'

Luxury home prices in West Palm Beach jumped 187.3% since 2015 to a median $4.04 million, according to a new report by Redfin. The Sun Belt claims 8 of the 10 fastest-growing luxury markets. 

Meanwhile: New York posted the smallest growth at 15.4%.

Endangered Frank Lloyd Wright

A 1903 Frank Lloyd Wright home on Chicago's West Side, considered "the best" of FLW's early affordable design experiments, has been foreclosed on and is now lender-owned. Less than a mile from FLW's iconic Unity Temple, the house has deteriorated since the former owner died in 2019. The Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Society is searching for a preservation-minded buyer. More here. 

Custom Builder Poll Results: What will you do differently in your business in 2026?