Existing Home Sales Fall for Seven Straight Month and Prices Soften

As elevated mortgage rates and higher home prices continue to price out homebuyers and reduce affordability, existing home sales declined for seven consecutive months in August, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). All four regions saw double-digit declines for sales from a year ago. Additionally, home price appreciation slowed for the second month…

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Builder Confidence Falls for Ninth Straight Month as Housing Slowdown Continues

In another sign that the slowdown in the housing market continues, builder sentiment fell for the ninth straight month in September as the combination of elevated interest rates, persistent building material supply chain disruptions and high home prices continue to take a toll on affordability. Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes…

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Employment Situation in August: State-Level Analysis

Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 37 states in August compared to the previous month while 13 states and the District of Columbia lost jobs. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nationwide total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 315,000 in August, following a gain of 526,000 jobs in July. On a month-over-month basis, employment data…

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Decline in Single-Family Permits in July 2022

Over the first seven months of 2022, the total number of single-family permits issued year-to-date (YTD) nationwide reached 645,877. On a year-over-year (YoY) basis, this is a 5.3% decline over the July 2021 level of 681,949. Year-to-date ending in July, single-family permits declined in all four regions. The South posted a slight decline 3.0% while…

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