Built to Know: news, resources and what’s next in residential construction.

Market Outlook: Rates Jump Again, Sentiment Drops

What’s happening: Your probably felt it as mortgage rates spiked to 7.28% in September, the highest since November 2023, after the Fed raised rates instead of cutting, rattling both buyers and builders. Consumer sentiment and builder confidence both fell sharply alongside it. The one bright spot: new home sales hit an eight-month high, but that’s largely thanks to incentives covering contracts signed before rates jumped, and pending existing-home sales are already down 8.5% year-over-year heading into fall

Why this matters: A jump from the high-6s into the 7s prices out marginal buyers fast, so expect smaller buyer pools and longer sales cycles. Builders are currently buying share with incentives, but that’s harder to sustain if rates stay elevated. Lean into financing conversations over price, audit follow-up processes, and stay cautious on spec pacing since buyer traffic still hasn’t moved.

By Region (NAHB builder confidence, 3-mo. avg.)

• Midwest (44): Dipped slightly but remains the strongest region.
• Northeast (39): Fell five points — the sharpest decline this month.
• South (31): Fell one point; buyers still hold the most leverage here.
• West (28): Ticked up slightly, though still the weakest region overall.

An update on the MarkSystems Browser

The same data you rely on every day is now inside your browser.  Marksystems browser is rolling out to customers! This is such exciting news, and we're thrilled to tell you all about it.

More coming soon.
 

*Register for Webclass: Introducing MarkSystems Browser: UI, Features, & Next Steps

Cory's Lasso Update:

Build it - Launch it - Lasso it

The new UI inside Lasso CRM  helps homebuilders improve lead conversion with a faster, more intuitive interface and streamlined workflows. Enhanced global search, sales pipeline, and built-in marketing tools help teams engage prospects faster.

With the Lasso Form Builder, you can create custom contact forms that send lead information directly into Lasso without complicated workflows or lengthy setup. Use forms for new community pages, VIP communities, events, and other lead-generation efforts. Together, these enhancements create a faster, more connected path from lead capture to follow-up and ultimately, homeowner.

As always, step-by-step instructions are available in the Customer Portal. If you have questions or need help getting started, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We look forward to hearing what you think and seeing how you use the Lasso Form Builder.

View Instructions Here:

View Cori's Walkthrough Here:

Missy's Avid Update:

Focusing on the Moments That Matter Most

Great customer experience isn’t about surveying buyers at every turn—it’s about listening intentionally at the right moments. AvidCX offers a full spectrum of touchpoints spanning pre-occupancy milestones, move-in, and one-year loyalty, alongside trade and employee feedback, but more isn't always better. We encourage builders to be selective and avoid buyer fatigue by choosing a targeted cadence that aligns with your specific operational priorities, such as pairing a pre-occupancy check-in with our core 30–60 day move-in and 12-month surveys. By honing in on the milestones where feedback drives the greatest impact, you get higher response rates and clear, actionable insights your team can act on immediately.

FREE SALES GAP AUDIT: Discover Where You Are Losing Leads

Every buyer journey has opportunities for improvement, but knowing where prospects lose momentum isn’t always easy. The complimentary ECI Sales Gap Audit provides an honest, focused review of your sales experience, from first click to signed contract, identifying gaps in visibility, engagement, follow-up, advocacy, and homeowner education. You’ll receive a personalized assessment, actionable recommendations, and a one-page Executive Performance Brief highlighting your highest-priority opportunities. Uncover practical ways to convert more prospects, strengthen customer loyalty, and get more value from your ECI solutions. 

Schedule your free audit today!

Turn Online Shoppers Into Pre-Approved Buyers with ECI + Acrisure Integrations

If you’re using LotVue or Insearch Sales Center, there’s an easy way to help online shoppers take the next step toward buying a home: Embedded Mortgage Pre-Approval powered by Acrisure Mortgage. With LotVue, turn it on for your entire site, a single community, or even specific home statuses, such as Quick Move-ins.  It’s a simple on/off setting, so you can test it, see how buyers respond, and turn it off anytime.

For Insearch Sales Center, the Embedded Mortgage Pre-Approval is an additional function in the mortgage calculator. Buyers can explore estimated payments and, when they’re ready, take the next step and apply for pre-approval without disrupting their online home-shopping journey. 

There’s no commitment for the builder or obligation for the buyer to finance through Acrisure. Turn it on, test it, and give your online shoppers one more way to become qualified buyers.

Keep reading to learn more

Grow Your Expertise with ECI Training & Events

MARKSYSTEMS AND LASSO UNIVERSITY  
Take a deep dive into the software and learn best practices with comprehensive training courses. Find out more about our new self-led courses.

• Purchasing 101 - Self-led Course  - $995
• Accounting & Finance 101 - Self-led Course  - $995
• Online Sales Excellence - $500

NEW! Customized Lasso training for you and your team! Learn more.
​​​​Click here to view upcoming paid training courses.
 

PROFESSIONAL CONSULTING SERVICES 
Unlock the Full Potential of Your Software!

Our Consulting Team is here to help you get more value from the systems and processes you use every day. From improving budgeting accuracy and reducing cycle times to strengthening sales workflows and supporting profitability, our experts bring practical industry best practices tailored to your business. Services include personalized training, custom report development, system usage audits, and recommendations to help optimize your workflows. Explore MarkSystems and Lasso CRM consulting services today and turn your technology investment into stronger business results.

Introducing Premier Success

Premier Success is a new add-on that gives residential construction customers more direct access to ECI experts. Members get a dedicated success manager, monthly case reviews, and live briefings before major releases. Weekly office hours, fireside chats with Product Management, and early access to new features are also included. Contact your ECI account manager to learn more.

Move beyond being a customer. Become a voice in our industry.
 

The best ideas come from the people using our solutions every day. The ECI Ambassador Community gives you exclusive access to product roadmaps, opportunities to grow your professional brand through webinars and case studies, a network of industry peers, and receive rewards for sharing your expertise. Best of all, most Ambassadors participate in less than three hours per month. Join the ECI Ambassador Community!

Builder Marketing Summit 2026

The discussions at this year’s Builder Marketing Summit made one shift unmistakable: residential sales and marketing leaders are aggressively rethinking how buyers discover and engage with their communities. 

Connecting with attendees across the sessions, including our own Heidi Schroeder, the dominant conversation centered on AI discoverability and optimizing builder websites for conversational search. The immediate priority is integration, with builders demanding a direct bridge between independent AI workflows and their primary CRM. Discussions also focused on closing the perception gap around Lasso, with strong interest in multi-touch attribution, integrated texting, and the modern platform experience. For the teams that have already adopted the updated interface, the new Sales Pipeline view stood out as a clear favorite for pipeline visibility and sales momentum.

Biggest takeaway: Homebuilding marketers are sprinting ahead with AI on their own, and the software that wins will be the systems that connect those daily AI workflows directly to CRM data, lead attribution, and pipeline tracking.

ECI Connect 2026

The energy is high and we can’t wait to see you i Novemeber 16-18 in Las Vegas, where more than 1,000 ECI customers will gather for three days of hands-on learning, AI innovation and real conversations with the people who build your software. Be in the room when we announce what’s next for the tools your business runs on. Bring your team, because the time you invest in working smarter and more efficiently now will move your company forward. Register now