These are trees only grown for the purpose of building homes. Hardwoods that take decades to grow, such as mahogany, aren't used for wood framing. In building, hardwoods are used mostly in hardwood flooring and in kitchen cabinets in this area. Builders talk glowingly of wood and say they continue using it also because it's what their customers want. Steel and concrete manufacturers have tried to increase their market share with home builders and have gone so far as to try marketing directly to consumers, a technique that hasn't worked that well.
Wood is a friendly material.
It's easy to work with. They're very informed. They know what the choices are, but they still prefer a wood-framed home. Others say that isn't so, that consumers have been led by builder preferences, who have in turn been led mostly by cost issues. But I've always lived in a wood-framed house and it's always performed well for me.