Eye On Housing
Author Archives
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Remodeler Sentiment Continues to Improve Year-over-Year
The NAHB/Royal Building Products Remodeling Market Index (RMI) for the fourth quarter posted a reading of 83, up four points from the fourth quarter of 2020. The reading is a sign of positive residential remodeler sentiment for projects of all sizes. The RMI is based on a survey that asks remodelers to rate various aspects of the remodeling market “good,” “fair”… Read More ›
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Construction Loans Slightly More Available, But at Higher Rates
In the third quarter of 2021, effective interest rates increased on all four categories of loans tracked in NAHB’s Survey on Acquisition, Development & Construction (AD&C). This result reverses a general downward trend that had prevailed since the third quarter of last year. In the third quarter of 2021, the average effective rate (based on rate of return to the… Read More ›
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Sentiment on Multifamily Production and Occupancy Improves in the Third Quarter
Sentiment on the production of new and occupancy in existing multifamily housing improved in the third quarter, according to the latest results from NAHB’s Multifamily Market Survey (MMS). The MMS produces two main indices. The Multifamily Production Index (MPI) increased five points from the previous quarter to 53, while the Multifamily Occupancy Index (MOI) also increased by five points, to… Read More ›
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Record Share of NAHB Members Report Labor Shortages
Friday’s post described how, in the construction industry, job layoffs have plunged while unfilled job positions remain elevated (according to the government’s latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover report). If more evidence of a severe supply chain challenge is needed, the record percentages of NAHB members reporting labor shortages in recent surveys can provide it. Let’s turn first to the… Read More ›
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Lots Harder to Obtain than Ever
Home building, like other U.S. industries, has been dealing with the supply side challenges of labor and material shortages. Unlike other industries, however, home builders confront an additional challenge in obtaining lots on which to build. In a recent NAHB survey, 76 percent of builders reported that the overall supply of developed lots in their areas was low to very… Read More ›
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Remodeling Industry Confidence Improves Year over Year
The NAHB/Royal Building Products Remodeling Market Index (RMI) for the third quarter posted a reading of 87, up five points from the third quarter of 2020. The reading is a sign of positive residential remodeler sentiment for projects of all sizes. The RMI is based on a survey that asks remodelers to rate various aspects of the remodeling market “good,”… Read More ›
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Share of New Homes with Decks Drops Below 20 Percent
Of the roughly 990,000 single-family homes started in 2020, only 19.3 percent included decks, according to NAHB tabulation of data from the Survey of Construction (SOC, conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau and partially funded by HUD). This marks the third year in a row the share of new homes with decks has declined, and the first time the share… Read More ›
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Square Foot Prices Up in 2020
Median square foot prices in new custom single-family detached (SFD) homes started in 2020 increased 8%, according to NAHB’s analysis of the latest Survey of Construction data. Increases in square foot prices in new for-sale SFD homes (excluding skyrocketing improved lot values) averaged 4%. Median sale and contract prices per square foot went up across all US regions, except for… Read More ›
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Share of New Homes with Porches Back Over 65 Percent
Of the roughly 990,000 single-family homes started in 2020, 65.3 percent came with porches, according to NAHB tabulation of data from the Survey of Construction (SOC, conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau with partial funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development). This marks the third time the share of single-family homes with porches has broken above the 65 percent barrier. The… Read More ›
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Rates Continue to Decline on Most Types of AD&C Loans
In the second quarter of 2021, interest rates on three of the four categories of loans tracked in NAHB’s Survey on Acquisition, Development & Construction (AD&C) Financing continued the downward trend that has prevailed since the third quarter of last year. The average effective rate (based on rate of return to the lender over the assumed life of the loan… Read More ›