Eye On Housing
Author Archives
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OSB Prices Climb 14% in 2016
The price of softwood lumber rose by 2.3% in December, while prices paid for ready-mix concrete, gypsum products, and OSB all fell, according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) release by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Ready-mix concrete, gypsum products and OSB prices fell by 0.1%, 0.2%, and 1.3%, respectively. The 2.3% increase in the softwood lumber price index… Read More ›
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Single-Family Construction Up in November
NAHB analysis of Census Construction Spending data shows that total private residential construction spending fell 0.7% in November to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $462.9 billion. Multifamily construction spending slowed for the first time since July to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of $61.9 billion, down 2.9% from the revised October estimate. Despite the slowdown, multifamily spending was still 10.7%… Read More ›
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Conventional Mortgages Finance Most New Home Sales Since 2008
NAHB analysis of the most recent Census estimates concerning sources of financing for new home sales reveals that the share of mortgages financed through conventional products in the third quarter of 2016 rose to 74.1%–the highest level seen since 2008. In contrast, cash sales accounted for the smallest portion they have since the second quarter of 2010. The portions financed with FHA… Read More ›
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Prices of Most Building Materials Increase in November
Prices received for three key building materials (prior to sales to consumers)— OSB, gypsum products, and ready-mix concrete—all rose in November according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) release by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In contrast, softwood lumber prices continued a three-month downward trend, falling 1%. Prices received for ready-mix concrete and gypsum products increased by 1.0% and… Read More ›
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Prices of Building Materials Decline
Prices received for four key building materials (prior to sales to consumers)—softwood lumber, OSB, gypsum products, and ready-mix concrete—all fell in October according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) release by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. OSB prices declined 0.5% in October, ending a 7-month trend that had made the commodity the most expensive it had been in over… Read More ›
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Key Building Materials Remain Stubbornly Expensive
Inflation in prices received for building materials (prior to sales to consumers) was mixed in September according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) release by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Although their monthly changes were relatively modest, the prices of OSB and ready-mix concrete have been trending upward for quite some time and remain at historically high levels. OSB… Read More ›
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Housing Share of GDP: Housing Services Offsets Slight RFI Decline
With the release of the final estimates of second quarter 2016 GDP growth (revised up three-tenths to a 1.4% growth rate), housing’s share of gross domestic product (GDP) held steady at 15.7%. The home building and remodeling component—residential fixed investment—as a share of GDP declined slightly to 3.5%. Housing-related activities contribute to GDP in two basic ways. The first is… Read More ›
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FOMC Statement: All Eyes on December
The statement released following the September meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) fell in line with market expectations as the committee chose to keep the federal funds rate unchanged. The Committee’s assessment of the economy remained positive, leaving a December rate hike very much in play. In the statement, the Committee continued its upbeat assessment of labor and economic activity…. Read More ›
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Building Materials Prices Continue to Climb
Inflation in prices received by producers (prior to sales to consumers) held steady in August after a striking 0.4% decline in July. The flat reading was the result of a 0.1% increase in prices for services combined with a 0.4% drop in goods prices, according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) release by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (more weight is… Read More ›
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Producer Prices Surprise in July
Contrary to economists’ expectations of a small gain, inflation in prices received by producers (prior to sales to consumers) fell 0.4% in July, nearly erasing June’s 0.5% increase. According to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) release by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the decline was a result of nearly identical drops in prices of services and goods of 0.3%… Read More ›