Eye On Housing
Remodeling Market Index Maintains Strength in Third Quarter
The Remodeling Market Index (RMI) posted a reading of 57 in the third quarter of 2017, up two points from the previous quarter, according to the National Association of Home Builders (Figure 1). For 18 consecutive quarters, the RMI has been at or above 50, which indicates that more remodelers report market activity is higher than report it is lower… Read More ›
Recent Posts
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Residential Construction Lower on Hurricanes: Trends Remain in Place
Information released jointly by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Census Bureau indicates that total housing starts fell by 4.7 percent reflecting a 4.6 percent decline in single-family starts and a 5.1 percent drop in multifamily starts. This release reflects three dynamics, the impact of the recent hurricanes, the continued national trend growth in single-family starts, and… Read More ›
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Builder Confidence Rises Four Points in October
Builder confidence in the market for newly-built single-family homes rose four points to a level of 68 in October on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). This was the highest reading since May. This current reading shows that home builder sentiment is rebounding from the initial reaction of concern due to hurricanes in Florida and Texas, including the anticipated effects of… Read More ›
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Sale and Contract Prices per Square Foot in 2016
Looking at single-family homes started in 2016, the median prices per square foot, excluding improved lot values, range from $164 for contractor-built homes in the Pacific division to $81 for speculatively built homes in the East South Central division. At $164 per square foot, new contractor-built single-family homes in Pacific are the most expensive to build exceeding the national average… Read More ›
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Most States Saw Permit Growth Over August YTD
According to the Census Bureau, over the first eight months of 2017 the total number of permits, which included single-family and multi-family, issued, nationwide on a not seasonally adjusted basis reached 852,825. This is 7.7% ahead of its level over the first eight months of 2016, 791,513. These data are taken from the Builder Permits Survey (BPS) instead of the… Read More ›
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Six In Ten New Homes Are Built In Community Associations
According to data from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC), 59.8 percent of all homes started in 2016 were built within a community or homeowner’s association. The Census Bureau defines community or homeowner’s associations as “formal legal entities created to maintain common areas of a development and to enforce private deed restrictions; these organizations are usually created when the… Read More ›
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Gas Prices Drive Overall Inflation
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, seasonally adjusted consumer prices faced by urban consumers (CPI) accelerated over the month of September 2017 reflecting an increase in the rate of gasoline price growth. However, the pace of acceleration slowed over the month reflecting in part a slowdown in the growth of shelter prices. Excluding the more volatile energy and food… Read More ›
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Manufactured Homes Post August Increase
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, shipments of manufactured homes increased by 7.6% to an 85,000 seasonally adjusted annual rate in August, from 79,000 in July. This rate of growth partially reverses the 10.2% decline recorded in July, however, the number of manufactured homes in August remains 21.3% below its post-recession peak of 108,000 reached in January 2017. Figure 1… Read More ›
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OSB Prices Up Nearly 20% Since September 2016
The price of OSB increased 4.4% in September and has risen 19% and 38% since September and January 2016, respectively. The surge was in contrast with moderate increases in prices paid for gypsum products (+0.3%) and ready-mix concrete (+0.2%). The price of softwood lumber fell 0.9% in September, according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) release by the Bureau… Read More ›
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Construction Job Openings Reach New Cycle High
The count of unfilled jobs in the construction sector continued to rise in August, reaching the highest level since February 2007. Given the significant need for repair and restoration work in the wake of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, we can expect additional increases in the months ahead. According to the BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) and NAHB analysis, the number… Read More ›