Eye On Housing
Author Archives
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Led by Lumber, Building Materials Prices Climb 5.4% in 2020
Prices paid for goods used in residential construction ex-energy rose 0.7% in December (not seasonally adjusted) and ended the year 5.4% higher than they stood in December 2019, 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 declined just twice over the… Read More ›
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Building Materials Prices Decline in November Amid High Volatility
Prices paid for goods used in residential construction ex-energy decreased 0.6% in November (not seasonally adjusted) according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The index for inputs to residential construction, including food and energy also decreased over the month, albeit by slightly less (-0.5%). Neither measure had fallen since pandemic-driven price… Read More ›
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Building Materials Prices Little Changed in October
Prices paid for goods used in residential construction climbed 0.2% in October (not seasonally adjusted) according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The index for inputs to residential construction, goods less food and energy (i.e. the “core”)—a less volatile price measure—increased 0.2% over the month. The core index for building materials… Read More ›
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Buoyed by Low Interest Rates, Conventional Loan Market Share Rises
NAHB analysis of the most recent Quarterly Sales by Price and Financing published by the U.S. Census Bureau reveals that conventional loans financed the most new home sales in a quarter since 2007. The share of sales backed by conventional loans in the third quarter was 71.8%–the largest share since Q4 2018, but well below the housing boom peak of 91.7% (Q4… Read More ›
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Softwood Lumber Prices Surge a Record 29% in September — Building Materials Up 4.4% in 2020
Prices paid for goods used in residential construction climbed 1.8% in September (not seasonally adjusted) according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The index for inputs to residential construction, goods less food and energy (i.e. the “core”)—a less volatile price measure—increased 2.2% over the month. The core index for building materials has… Read More ›
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Largest Four-Month Lumber Price Increase in 70 Years Outweighs Other Price Declines in August
Prices paid for goods used in residential construction continued their upward trend in August, increasing 0.9% (not seasonally adjusted) according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It is the fourth consecutive monthly increase since the index declined three months straight and brings the index back to its pre-pandemic level. Prices of… Read More ›
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Softwood Lumber Costs Up Nearly 30% Over Three Months, Push Building Materials Prices Higher in July
Prices paid for goods used in residential construction continued their upward trend in July, increasing 1.8% (not seasonally adjusted) according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It is the third consecutive monthly increase since the index declined three months straight by a total 5.4%. The index has decreased 1.3% year-to-date (YTD), a larger… Read More ›
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Share of FHA-Backed New Home Sales Reaches Eight-Year High
NAHB analysis of the most recent Quarterly Sales by Price and Financing published by the U.S. Census Bureau reveals that FHA-backed sales made up 20.4% of new home sales in the first quarter of 2020, the largest market share since 2012. In addition, the share of cash sales (4.2%) tied a decade low. FHA-backed sales made up 20.4% of new home sales… Read More ›
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Rising Softwood Lumber Costs Lead Building Materials Prices Higher in June
Prices paid for goods used in residential construction increased 1.9% in June (not seasonally adjusted) according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It is the second consecutive monthly increase since the index declined three months straight by a total 5.4%. The index has decreased 3.0% year-to-date (YTD), five times the magnitude… Read More ›
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Building Materials Prices Move Higher in May
Prices paid for goods used in residential construction increased 0.6% in May (not seasonally adjusted) according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. May marks only the fourth monthly increase in the past 12 months in the price index for residential construction inputs. The index has declined 4.8% year-to-date (YTD), nearly four times the… Read More ›