Author Archives
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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 ›
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Slight Decline for January Single-Family Starts
Single-family starts dipped somewhat in January, as ongoing supply-chain issues are adding cost and construction time to home building. The availability of labor and lots also remain key headwinds, with labor likely to become more challenging in 2022. Overall housing starts decreased 4.1% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.64 million units, according to a report from the U.S…. Read More ›
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Builder Confidence Eases on Supply-Side Constraints
Despite strong buyer demand, builder sentiment continued to slip in February as the industry grapples with ongoing building material production bottlenecks that are raising construction costs and delaying projects. Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes moved one point lower to 82 in February, marking the second straight month that confidence levels have declined by a single… Read More ›
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Year-over-Year Gains for Construction Job Openings
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 declined for the month to 337,000 unfilled positions in December. The highest measure in the history of the data series (going back to late 2000) was 445,000 in October 2021. The housing market remains underbuilt and requires… Read More ›
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Fed Rate Hike Coming in March
At the conclusion of its January policy meeting, the Federal Open Market Committee strongly signaled that it will undertake its first, post-covid increase of the federal funds rate in March. The Fed is tightening monetary policy in response to the highest inflation readings in nearly 40 years. These inflationary pressures have increased both consumer costs and businesses input costs, including… Read More ›