About a year ago, I noticed a couple hundred acres being cleared and a sign announcing "Coming Soon - New Homes from the high 300s." By the time the first house was finished in July, that sign was gone and replaced with something to the effect of, "Family Homes for Rent." I have to believe interest rates dove this.
I've seen two house in my neighborhood up for sale in the past few months. Both were pulled from the market after 60-90 days. It's now a buyers market...if you can afford to pay back more than double the original loan.
What might have happened is that around that time a year ago, that mega corporation Blackrock along with a few others were going around figuring out what to do with all the free money they were being given by the boatload so they were buying up entire subdivisions before they were even built to turn into rentals and buying up anything in good areas for way over ask to turn into rental properties
It happened here, a bunch of developments were snatched up and it totally messed up my taxes as that company was going around paying 20% to 30% premium to snatch up the houses.
The sudden hike in interest rates has put a halt on that thankfully.