Eye On Housing
Author Archives
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Diminished Future Sales Expectations, Rising Costs Lower Builder Confidence
Ongoing lumber and building material supply-side constraints and rising construction costs and expectations of higher interest rates continue to negatively affect builder sentiment even as buyer demand remains relatively solid. Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes moved two points lower to 79 in March from a downwardly revised reading in February, according to the National Association… Read More ›
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Increasing Open Jobs in Construction
The construction labor market remains tight, as the industry sees a rising number of job openings year-over-year. The count of open construction jobs increased for the month to 380,000 unfilled positions in January. The highest measure in the history of the data series (going back to late 2000) was 416,000 in April 2019. The housing market remains underbuilt and requires… Read More ›
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Gains for Residential Construction Loans
Residential construction loan volume reached a post-Great Recession high during the fourth quarter of 2021, as home building activity posted gains for the year. The volume of 1-4 unit residential construction loans made by FDIC-insured institutions increased 1% during the fourth quarter. The volume of loans increased by $977 million on a quarterly basis. This loan volume expansion placed the… Read More ›
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2- to 4-Unit Production Disappoints in 2021
The missing middle construction sector includes development of medium-density housing, including townhouses, duplexes and other small multifamily properties. While townhouse construction has trended higher in recent quarters, the multifamily segment of the missing middle (apartments in 2 to 4 unit properties) has disappointed. For 2021, there were only 12,000 starts of such residences. This is flat from from 2020, during a period… Read More ›
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New Home Sales Slip in January
New single-family home sales posted a small decline in January as housing demand was affected by a jump in mortgage rates. The January pace of sales was nonetheless solid due to a lack of resale inventory and ongoing need for new construction. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau estimated sales of newly built,… Read More ›
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Multifamily Unit Size Trends Lower
According to NAHB analysis of quarterly Census data, the market share of rental units of multifamily construction starts increased to 94.2% during the fourth quarter of 2021. In contrast, the historical low share of 47% was set during the third quarter of 2005, during the condo building boom. An average share of 80% was registered during the 1980-2002 period. Condo… Read More ›
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Gains for Single-Family Home Size
An expected impact of the virus crisis is a need for more residential space, as people use homes for more purposes including work. Recent data confirms this impact on the market continues to occur. According to fourth quarter 2021 data from the Census Quarterly Starts and Completions by Purpose and Design and NAHB analysis, median single-family square floor area increased… Read More ›
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Solid Gain for Custom Home Building in 2021
NAHB’s analysis of Census Data from the Quarterly Starts and Completions by Purpose and Design survey indicates custom home building expanded by 10.8% in 2021 amid strong demand for move-up purchases given a rise in existing home equity. There were 49,000 total custom building starts during the final quarter of 2021. This marks a 11.4% gain from the fourth quarter of 2020…. Read More ›
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Townhouse Construction Surged in 2021
According to NAHB analysis of the most recent Census data of Starts and Completions by Purpose and Design, townhouse construction jumped 28.1% in 2021. As housing demand has shifted to more suburban and exurban areas and housing affordability headwinds persist, medium-density construction lagged for much of 2020. However, demand for medium density neighborhoods returned as the economy more fully reopened during… Read More ›
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Single-Family Built-for-Rent Growth in 2021
The number of single-family built-for-rent (SFBFR) construction starts increased almost 16% in 2021, after a record-breaking third quarter for production. The SFBFR market is a way to add inventory amid concerns over housing affordability and downpayment requirements in the for-sale market, particularly during a period when a growing number of people want more space and a single-family structure. Single-family built-for-rent… Read More ›