Eye On Housing
Building Materials Prices Continue to Set Record Highs
Prices paid for goods used in residential construction ex-energy rose 1.7% in April (not seasonally adjusted) and have increased 12.4% over the past 12 months, according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Building materials (i.e., inputs to residential construction less food and energy) prices have declined just twice since December 2019. The index… Read More ›
Recent Posts
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Inflation from Economic Reopening is Here
Both headline inflation and core inflation jumped in April, reflecting strong consumer demand for products and services as the economy reopens from the COVID-19 recession. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 0.8% in April on a seasonally adjusted basis, after an increase of 0.6% in March. It marks the largest increase… Read More ›
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Jump for Open Construction Sector Jobs in March
Job openings in construction increased in March to 344,000 unfilled positions, according to data from the BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS). The housing market remains hot and requires additional labor, lots and lumber and building materials to add inventory. Overall, hiring in the construction sector increased in March, rising to a 6% rate. The peak rate of… Read More ›
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47% of Home Buyers Want an Exercise Room
NAHB’s latest survey on consumer preferences – What Home Buyers Really Want – asked recent and prospective buyers about the desirability of an exercise room in the home. Results show that 47% of buyers rate an exercise room essential or desirable. The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020 likely accelerated the long-term, rising popularity of exercise… Read More ›
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Revolving Credit Rises in the First Quarter
In the first quarter of 2021, consumer credit increased at a seasonally adjusted annual rate by 5.1%, with revolving debt1 increasing by 2.4% and nonrevolving debt2 increasing by 5.9%. Consumer credit totaled $4.2 trillion on a seasonally adjusted annual basis, with $980 billion comprised of revolving debt and $3.3 trillion in nonrevolving debt. This outstanding level marks a total increase of $54 billion… Read More ›
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Bidding Wars Are Most Common Reason Active Buyers Can’t Make Purchase
An earlier post revealed that 64% of buyers who were actively engaged in the process of finding a home in the first quarter of 2021 have spent upwards of 3 months searching for a home without success. For the second time in this series history, the most common reason long-time searchers haven’t pulled the trigger is not because they can’t… Read More ›
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Residential Construction Employment Rose Slightly in April
Job gains unexpectedly slowed in April as states lifted COVID-19 restrictions on businesses and more people are vaccinated. Total payroll employment rose by only 266,000 and the unemployment rate increased to 6.1% in April. This was a surprisingly disappointing report on the macro level. Residential construction employment rose by 3,100 in April, after an increase of 28,700 in March. Non-residential… Read More ›
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Prospective Buyers Are Quickly Becoming Active Buyers
Of the 16% of American adults considering a future home purchase in the first quarter of 2021, 63% have moved beyond planning and are actively trying to find one to buy, up from the comparable 49% share a year earlier. This increase marks the fifth consecutive year-over-year gain in the share of prospective buyers who have become active buyers. Several… Read More ›
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Housing Affordability Shows Signs of Weakening as Challenges Lie Ahead
Housing affordability weakened slightly during the first quarter of 2021 as rising material costs and supply shortages, along with expected increases in mortgage rates stemming from a growing economy, are likely to exacerbate affordability challenges in the year ahead. According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HOI), 63.1 percent of new and existing homes… Read More ›
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Latest Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey Indicates Easing Credit Standards
The latest results from the Federal Reserve Board’s Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey (SLOOS) present standards on bank lending practices as they occurred in the first quarter of 2021. The three major categories of lending covered by the survey are Commercial and Industrial (C&I) loans, Commercial Real Estate (CRE) loans, and Residential Real Estate (RRE) loans. The survey distinguishes the… Read More ›