Eye On Housing
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Rose Quint is Assistant Vice President for Survey Research. Ms. Quint holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Economics/International Business from Old Dominion University as well as a Master’s degree in Economics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Her responsibilities include planning and conducting industry surveys, specifically in the areas of builder sentiment, remodeling, housing affordability, and AD&C financing issues. Ms. Quint is also responsible for special research projects, such as studies on builders’ profitability, consumer preferences, construction costs, and membership census. She joined NAHB in 1999.
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Rising Home Prices Affect Housing Affordability in the Second Quarter
Solid home price appreciation more than offset a modest reduction in mortgage interest rates to push housing affordability lower in the second quarter of 2016, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HOI). In all, 62 percent of new and existing homes sold between the beginning of April and end of June were affordable to… Read More ›
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The Number of Residential Construction Firms Owned by Minorities is on the Rise
The total number of residential construction firms in the country (single-family builders, multifamily builders, and residential remodelers) dropped to around 689,000 in 2012, 12% lower than in 2007, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Business Owners (collected only in years ending in ‘2’ and ‘7’). While the industry as a whole contracted during those five years, the share… Read More ›
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Housing Affordability Posts Second Straight Quarterly Gain
Spurred by a modest reduction in mortgage interest rates and favorable home prices, nationwide housing affordability in the first quarter of 2016 posted a slight increase, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HOI). In all, 65.0 percent of new and existing homes sold between the beginning of January and end of March were affordable… Read More ›
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Housing Preferences across Generations (Part III)
A majority of home buyers across all generations, whether Millennials, Gen X’ers, Boomers, or Seniors, want to buy a single-family detached home and most want to see the laundry equipment on the first floor. A majority of the oldest two cohorts also prefer single-story homes. These findings come from the latest NAHB study on housing preferences, Housing Preferences of the… Read More ›
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What’s the Average Profit Margin of Single-family Builders?
Industry benchmarks on profit margins, asset levels, and equity positions are important because they allow businesses to compare their performance to their peers, and that can be extremely helpful in identifying areas for improvement and increasing efficiencies. This is the reason why NAHB periodically conducts a survey asking single-family builders nationwide to (confidentially) provide us their income statements and balance… Read More ›
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Housing Preferences across Generations (Part II)
Findings from the latest NAHB study on housing preferences, Housing Preferences of the Boomer Generation: How They Compare to Other Home Buyers, shows there are some similarities and differences in what home buyers of different generations want in terms of square footage and number of bedrooms in a new home. When asked how much finished space they would like to… Read More ›
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Housing Preferences across Generations (Part I)
NAHB recently released its latest study tracking the evolution of home buyer preferences, titled Housing Preferences of the Boomer Generation: How They Compare to Other Home Buyers. The study answers key questions on how various designs influence the home purchase decision as well as the location, features and size of the home consumers want. Based on a nationwide survey of… Read More ›
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Affordability Edges Up in Fourth Quarter
Modest home price and interest rate decreases resulted in a slight increase in nationwide housing affordability in the fourth quarter of 2015, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HOI). In all, 63.3 percent of new and existing homes sold between the beginning of October and end of December were affordable to families earning the… Read More ›
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Features Most Likely to Show up in Typical Single-family Home in 2016
Successful businesses stay on top of what their competitors are doing. For home builders, this involves knowing what features other builders are putting in their new homes. In December 2015, a nationwide survey asked builders about the likelihood that a number of features would be included in the typical single-family home they will build in 2016. Using a scale from… Read More ›
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Affordability Edges Lower in Third Quarter
Modest home price and interest rate increases resulted in a slight drop in nationwide housing affordability in the third quarter of 2015, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HOI). In all, 62.2 percent of new and existing homes sold between the beginning of July and end of September were affordable to families earning the… Read More ›