Eye On Housing
After four consecutive declines, the producer price index (PPI) for inputs to residential construction less energy (i.e., building materials) rose 0.3% in February 2023 (not seasonally adjusted) follow a 1.1% increase in January (revised), according to the latest PPI report. Price growth of goods inputs to residential construction, including energy, gained 0.4% over the month. Prices have increased 2.9% over the… Read More ›
The price and availability of building materials again topped the list of problems builders faced last year, while interest rates (along with general inflation and negative media reports) moved considerably up the list. According to special questions on the January 2023 survey for the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index, building material prices were a significant issue for 96% of builders… Read More ›
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has proposed new standards to determine if construction materials for federally funded infrastructure projects are made in the USA. The new guidance, required by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act—also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL)—“sets standards to carry out the statutory requirement that all manufacturing processes for construction material occur in… Read More ›
The producer price index (PPI) for inputs to residential construction less energy (i.e. building materials) rose 8.3% in 2022 (not seasonally adjusted) according to the latest PPI report—less than one-half the increase seen in 2021. On a monthly basis, building materials prices declined 0.3% in December—the fourth consecutive monthly decrease. After increasing an average of 1.8% per month the first five… Read More ›
Real estate taxes vary widely across states both in terms of annual taxes paid as well as effective tax rates. In 2021, the difference between average real estate taxes (RETs) paid by New Jersey and Alabama home owners was $8,336. New Jersey continued its perennial distinction as having the highest average real estate tax bill per home owner ($9,151) as… Read More ›
The prices of building materials decreased 0.2% in October (not seasonally adjusted) following a 0.5% decline in September according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) report. The index has decreased four of five months for the first time since 2015. The PPI for goods inputs to residential construction, including energy, was led 0.2% higher by prices of diesel fuel (+9.5%)… Read More ›
The prices of building materials rose 0.5% in August (not seasonally adjusted) even as softwood lumber prices decreased 5.2%, according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) report. Building materials prices have climbed 4.9% through the first eight months of 2022 and 14.3% over the past year. The PPI for goods inputs to residential construction, including energy, decreased 0.9% in… Read More ›
According to the annual data from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC), stucco was the most common principal siding material on new single-family homes started in 2021 (28 percent), followed by vinyl siding (24 percent), fiber cement siding (such as Hardiplank or Hardiboard (23 percent) and, brick or brick veneer (19 percent). Far smaller shares of single-family homes started last year… Read More ›
The prices of building materials rose 0.4% in July (not seasonally adjusted) even as softwood lumber prices increased 2.3%, according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) report. Prices have surged 35.7% since January 2020, although 80% of the increase has occurred since January 2021. The PPI for goods inputs to residential construction, including energy, decreased 1.2% as the prices of… Read More ›
The prices of goods used in residential construction climbed 1.5% in June (not seasonally adjusted) even as softwood lumber prices fell 23%, according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) report. Prices have surged 41.7% since January 2020. Building materials (i.e., goods inputs to residential construction, less energy) prices have increased 4.8%, year-to-date, and are 12.2% higher than they were… Read More ›