Danushka Nanayakkara-Skillington

2023 Off to A Sluggish Start for Single-Family Production

Due to elevated mortgage rates and high construction costs, overall housing starts decreased 4.5% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.31 million units in January, according to data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau. Although rising builder sentiment indicates a turning point for housing later this…

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Single-Family Permits Declined 2022

For 2022, the total number of single-family permits issued year-to-date (YTD) nationwide reached 972,180. On a year-over-year (YoY) basis, this is 12.5% below the 2021 level of 1,111,414. Year-to-date ending in December, single-family permits declined in all four regions. The South posted a decline of 10.4%, while the Western region reported the steepest decline of…

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New Home Sales Uptick in December But Market Weakness Remains

While new home sales posted a modest gain in December, elevated mortgage rates and higher construction costs continue to hinder housing affordability and put a damper on consumer demand. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau estimated sales of newly built, single-family homes in December at a 616,000 seasonally…

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