Eye On Housing
Total housing starts recorded a small decline in January, as multifamily starts fell back, albeit from an upwardly revised number in December. Total starts were down 2.6%, falling to a 1.246 million seasonally adjusted annual rate. However, single-family starts posted a small monthly increase in January, rising 1.9% to an 823,000 annual rate As measured on a three-month moving average, the current changes… Read More ›
Sales of newly built, single-family homes fell 10% on a monthly basis in December to a weak 536,000 seasonally adjusted annual rate, according to estimates from the Census Bureau and HUD. This was a surprisingly low reading for the series. My expectation is that it will be revised higher in the next report. While higher interest rates may have caused a reduction in… Read More ›
Housing starts rebounded in December, as monthly volatility for multifamily starts continued. Total starts were up 11.3%, rising to a 1.226 million seasonally adjusted annual rate. However, single-family starts posted a small monthly decline in December, albeit recording the fourth strongest monthly pace since the end of the recession. According to estimates from the Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development,… Read More ›
Builder confidence in the market for newly-built single-family homes remained on firm ground in January, down two points to a level of 67 from a downwardly revised December reading of 69 on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). The solid reading is consistent with building expectations heading into the new year. NAHB expects 10 percent… Read More ›
Sales of newly-built, single-family homes grew 5.2% on a monthly basis in November to a 592,000 seasonally adjusted annual rate according to estimates from the Census Bureau and HUD. The growth in November is consistent with rising home builder confidence and an expectation of sales growth in 2017. The November rate was the second highest sales pace since the end of the… Read More ›
Housing starts posted a notable drop in November after a strong October pace. Total starts were down 18.7%, falling to a 1.09 million seasonally adjusted annual rate after a 1.34 million rate in October. However, the decline was concentrated in the volatile multifamily sector. The single-family sector continues to show anon improving trend, consistent with rising home builder confidence. According… Read More ›
Builder confidence in the market for newly-built single-family homes jumped seven points to a level of 70 on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). This is the highest reading since July 2005. The increase in market confidence follows the November election results, increasing hopes among home builders and other stakeholders in the residential construction industry that… Read More ›
NAHB analysis of Census Construction Spending data shows that total private residential construction spending grew 1.6% in October to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $472.9 billion. Multifamily construction spending continued its record breaking pace and reached $63.7 billion, up by 2.8% over the revised September estimates. It was 11.4% higher since October 2015. Single-family construction spending also increased by… Read More ›
The volume of residential construction loans jumped by 4.8% during the third quarter of 2016, marking 14 consecutive quarters of growth and setting the highest quarterly growth rate since the summer of 2014. Tight availability of acquisition, development and construction (AD&C) loans has been a limiting factor for home building growth, but easing credit conditions and a growing loan base have helped expand residential construction activity in a thin inventory environment. According… Read More ›
The number of single-family homes built-for-rent posted gains over the last year. However, the built-for-rent market is a small portion of the total single-family development, so care must be taken when identifying trends. According to data from the Census Bureau’s Quarterly Starts and Completions by Purpose and Design and NAHB analysis, the market share of single-family homes built-for-rent, as measured on a one-year moving… Read More ›