Small homebuilders are the mainstay of the nation’s housing industry, according to a new study from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

The report found that housing "remains the domain of small businesses," according to a statement.

"Small businesses have always been the predominant force in housing and they lend this industry its economic vitality," said Bob Jones, NAHB chairman. "We are seeing market conditions returning to normal in many parts of the country after a long, hard downturn, and these companies have the agility to move quickly and start leading the economy forward. But first they need access to financing to build, which remains scarce during this critical phase of the recovery."