Eye On Housing
Author Archives
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Builders Concerns of Lot Availability Unchanged from 2016
The monthly NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) survey includes a set of “special” questions on a topic of current interest to the housing industry. In June 2017, the special questions asked builders about the supply and price of developed lots. Sixty-four percent of builders reported that the overall supply of developed lots in their areas was low to very… Read More ›
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Top Challenge for Builders is Labor Cost/Availability
The monthly NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index includes a set of “special” questions on a topic of current interest to the housing industry. In December 2016, the special questions asked builders about the problems they faced in 2016 and expect to face in 2017. Topping the list of problems builders faced in 2016 and expect to face in 2017 is… Read More ›
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High End New Homes
In 2015, a total of 1,762 homes were started for sale with a price of $1 million or more according to the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction. New homes started for sale with a price of $ 1 million or more decreased as a share in absolute number in 2015. That number was significantly lower than in 2013 (3,347 homes) and… Read More ›
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New Homes with a Community Association
NAHB tabulations of data from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC) show 59 percent of new homes started in 2015 were built within a community with a homeowner’s or community association. The Census Bureau defines a community or homeowner’s association as “formal legal entities created to maintain common areas of a development and to enforce private deed restrictions; these… Read More ›
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A Rising Market Share of 5,000+ Square Foot Homes
New homes with 5,000 square feet or more of living space increased both as a share of all new construction and in absolute number in 2015, according to the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction. In 2015, the share of new homes this size reached a post-recession peak of 3.9% of new homes started. The total number of 5,000+ square-foot homes… Read More ›
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Vinyl is the Most Widely Used Exterior On New Homes
According to data from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC), vinyl (including vinyl-covered aluminum) was the most common principal siding material on new single-family homes started in 2015 (27 percent), followed by stucco (25 percent), brick or brick veneer (22 percent each), and fiber cement siding (such as Hardiplank or Hardiboard) (19 percent). Wood or wood products accounted for… Read More ›
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Over 20% of Home Builders Have Already Used Aerial Drones
Results from a recent NAHB survey of single-family builders show that a majority of them (66 percent) are aware that unmanned aerial vehicles (i.e., drones) have been used on construction sites, and 22 percent have already used a drone in their own construction business at least once (including cases where they may have hired a third party to do so)…. Read More ›
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Over Half of New Homes are Built in Community Associations
According to data from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC), 58 percent of all homes started in 2014 were built within a community or home owner’s association. The Census Bureau defines a community or homeowner’s associations as “formal legal entities created to maintain common areas of a development and to enforce private deed restrictions; these organizations are usually created… Read More ›
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Patios: A Popular Feature in New Homes Started in 2014
Data from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC) shows a clear geographic pattern to the exterior amenities (patios and decks) included in new homes. In 2014, a majority (56 percent) of all new homes started had a patio. In contrast, only 23 percent had a deck. The Census Bureau’s SOC data is available by the nine census divisions. Patios… Read More ›
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Labor is Top Challenge for Builders
Topping the list of problems builders faced in 2015 and expect to face in 2016 is the Cost/Availability of Labor, an issue for 76% of builders who expect it to increase in 2016 and which has increased in importance the past three years. In 2013, 53% of builders rated labor as a significant problem, followed by 61% in 2014 and… Read More ›