Eye On Housing
Recent Posts - page 2
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Cost of Constructing a Home in 2022
The NAHB recently published its latest Cost of Construction Survey. Results show that 60.8% of the average home sale price consisted of construction costs, essentially unchanged from the 61.1% posted in 2019. Since the inception of this series in 1998, this was the fourth time construction costs represent over 60% of the total price of the home (2013: 61.7%, 2015:… Read More ›
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Significant Drop for Construction Job Openings
The count of open, unfilled jobs for the overall economy declined slightly in January, falling to 10.8 million, after an 11.2 million reading in December, which was the highest level since July. The count of total job openings should fall in 2023 as the labor market softens and the unemployment rises. From an inflation perspective, ideally the count of open,… Read More ›
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Mortgage Activity Increases Despite Mortgage Rate Volatility
Per the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) survey through the week ending March 3rd, total mortgage activity increased 7.4% from the previous week and the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) rate rose eight basis points to 6.79%. The FRM rate has risen 61 basis points over the past month. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, rose… Read More ›
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Single-Family Market Share Continues to Shift from Large Population Centers
While nationwide single-family housing starts have slowed in the past year, the largest drop on a percentage basis is occurring in the densest counties, due to high housing costs. Meanwhile, multifamily growth was robust throughout much of the nation at the end of 2022, with the notable exception in high-density markets, according to the latest findings from the National Association… Read More ›
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Remodelers’ Average Net Profits are Down, NAHB Study Shows
Residential remodeling companies, just like any other private enterprise in a capitalist economy, exist to satisfy the demand of consumers for specific products or services in exchange for a rate of profit commensurate with the risk taken. Companies control when they enter or exit the industry, but their financial performance is intrinsically linked to external factors, such as the number… Read More ›
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Use of Residential Energy Tax Credits Increases
In 2005, Congress established several energy-efficiency tax incentives related to housing that benefit new-home buyers and remodeling homeowners. These policies included the tax code section 25C credit for retrofitting/remodeling existing homes, and the 25D credit for the installation of power production property in new and existing homes. Taxpayers claim these residential energy credits using Form 5695. Including carryforwards from 2019,… Read More ›
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Private Residential Spending Falls Slightly in January
Private residential construction spending declined 0.6% in January, as spending on single-family construction decreased 1.7%. It declined on the eighth month in a row amid elevated mortgage interest rates. Moreover, private residential construction is 3.9% lower compared to a year ago. The monthly decline is largely attributed to lower spending on single-family construction, which has been declining since June 2022…. Read More ›
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AD&C Balances Continue to Rise
Residential construction loan volume reached a post-Great Recession high during the fourth quarter of 2022, as home building activity and new home sales remained below trend. Outstanding builder loan balances are rising as development debt is being held longer as new homes remain in inventory longer. Loan balances will decline in coming quarters as the development loan market becomes more… Read More ›
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Home Price Gains Weakened in December
Seasonally adjusted home prices continued to fall in December and have declined for six consecutive months due to high mortgage rates and economic uncertainty. Locally, all 20 metro areas, reported by S&P Dow Jones Indices, experienced negative home price appreciation in December. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index, reported by S&P Dow Jones Indices, fell at a… Read More ›
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Apartment Absorption Rate Falls but Remains above 60%
Data from the Census Bureau’s latest Survey of Market Absorptions of New Multifamily Units (SOMA) indicates that the multifamily market continues to have high demand with apartment completions reaching their highest level since the third quarter of 2021. The absorption rate of new condominiums reached 82.0%, the best rate since the third quarter of 2013. With low single-family housing supply… Read More ›