Dive Brief:

• Recent data showing the inventory of homes for sale in the country rose 11.8% between May 2013 and last month. The numbers were no help for those hoping to get first-time buyers buying again:
• Most of the houses were in the upper- and mid-third of prices. The U.S. remains a tight market for the lower-priced group that used to be the engine for new construction.
• Zillow said that buyers trying to get started in the market have a second challenge in that they are up against cash buyers at the low end of the price spectrum.

Dive Insight:

The information suggests that builders who can work in high-end communities will reap the benefits of the recovery faster than companies who target younger buyers looking for starter homes. With an increasing income divide in the U.S., it seems unlikely that a one-ended market would be sustainable.