Eye On Housing
HBGI: Increased Home Building in Lower-Density Markets Ahead
The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to hasten a housing trend already taking place across the nation – residential construction activity that is expanding at a more rapid rate in lower density markets such as smaller cities and rural areas. This conclusion is among the findings of the latest quarterly National Association of Home Builders Home Building Geography Index (HBGI). An… Read More ›
Recent Posts
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Private Residential Spending Slides in April
NAHB analysis of the Census Construction Spending data shows total private residential construction spending stood at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of $536.8 billion in April. It was down 4.5% in April, after a 0.2% dip in March, due to the economic consequences of the COVID-19 lockdowns. On a year-over-year basis, however, total private construction spending rose 6.2%. The… Read More ›
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52% of Builders Used Incentives to Bolster Sales in May 2020
The NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index survey conducted in May 2020 reveals that 48% of single-family builders are not using incentives to bolster sales and/or limit cancellations. This of course implies that slightly more than half, 52%, are using some kind of incentive to achieve that objective. What specific incentives are they using? Figure 1 shows the complete list, but… Read More ›
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April Personal Income Up 10.5% Due to CARES
The most recent data release from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) showed that personal income surged in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of $20,674 billion. The 10.5% increase in personal income was largely the effects of Federal Pandemic Response Programs. Among the $360.5 billion increase in unemployment insurance, there were $132.0 billion in Pandemic Unemployment Compensation… Read More ›
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Most Vulnerable Housing Markets
Analysis of the American Community Survey (ACS) suggests that renters and young adults under the age of 34 are likely to face higher prolonged unemployment risks as a result of the coronavirus pandemic hitting the labor market. The labor market risks are also uneven across states, with state economies heavily reliant on leisure, entertainment, retail and personal services being most… Read More ›
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Pending Home Sales Fall in April
Following a considerable drop last month, pending home sales fell for a second straight month in April, as economic and social activities were significantly reduced. The Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI), reported by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), is a forward-looking indicator based on signed contracts. The PHSI plunged 21.8% from 88.2 in March to 69.0 in April, the… Read More ›
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Continuing Jobless Claims Drop
The U.S. Department of Labor released the Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report for the week ending May 23rd. Initial claims have declined for the eighth straight week after it hit a record peak of 6.9 million in the week ending March 28th. Continuing claims dropped by 3.86 million in the week ending May 16th, suggesting some unemployed workers are finding… Read More ›
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Mortgage Activity Buoyed by Growth in Purchasing
The latest home buying and refinancing data have shown an increase in overall mortgage activity, as indicated by the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Application Survey. The benchmark Market Composite Index increased by 2.7% on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier. The Primary Mortgage Market Survey’s interest rate hovered 2 basis points above the historical low of 3.40% reached… Read More ›
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Significant Regional Employment Losses in April
Year-over-year (YoY), total nonfarm employment fell by 19.4 million jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis (SA), or -12.9% from April 2019 to April 2020. During this time, total nonfarm employment decreased across all the regions. The Northeast declined by 18.2%, the Midwest by 14.5%, the Western region by 12.6% and the South by 10.7%. According to the Bureau of Labor… Read More ›
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Home Price Appreciation Continues in March
National home prices continued to increase in March and have not reflected any significant adverse impacts from the COVID-19 shutdown. However, as many nonessential businesses remain shut down in April and May, home prices will certainly decline in the coming months. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index, reported by S&P Dow Jones Indices, rose at a seasonally… Read More ›