Eye On Housing
*Eye on the Economy is an NAHB newsletter that is published every two weeks and takes a larger view of recent economic and housing policy news. In the last few months, it has become clear that a recovery in housing has taken hold. However, this promising development has occurred during a period in which much of the rest of the… Read More ›
Tag Archive for ‘home building’
Apartment and Condominium Market Shows Continued Improvement in Second Quarter
The National Association of Home Builders Multifamily Production Index (MPI) improved for the eighth consecutive quarter with an index level of 54. It is the highest reading since the second quarter of 2005. The MPI, which measures builder and developer sentiment about current conditions in the apartment and condominium market on a scale of 0 to 100, rose from 51… Read More ›
Multifamily Absorption Rates Increase During Second Quarter
As expected, data from the Survey of Market Absorption of Apartments (SOMA), produced by the Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, suggest a pickup in rentals and sales of newly built apartments. This followed a slight slowing of absorption rates in the first quarter. The SOMA tracks completions and market absorption (units rented or sold after construction… Read More ›
A Turning Point for AD&C Lending
Despite softening economic conditions, home building economic data have been fairly positive in recent months. For example, the pace of housing starts now stands near a seven-year high. And as we forecasted last quarter, the period of declines for the outstanding stock of Acquisition, Development and Construction (AD&C) loans appears to have ended. According to data from the FDIC, for the first time… Read More ›
A Turning Point for AD&C Lending
Despite softening economic conditions, home building economic data have been fairly positive in recent months. For example, the pace of housing starts now stands near a seven-year high. And as we forecasted last quarter, the period of declines for the outstanding stock of Acquisition, Development and Construction (AD&C) loans appears to have ended. According to data from the FDIC, for the first time… Read More ›
Pending Home Sales Increase to Highest Level Since 2010 Home Buyer Tax Credit
The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on signed contracts, increased 2.4 percent in July 2012 to 101.7 from 99.3 in June. The July 2012 PHSI was 12.4 percent higher than the same period a year ago. The PHSI is at its highest level since April 2010 when the home buyer tax credit was about to expire. … Read More ›
Eye on the Economy: Home Builder Confidence Reaches Five-Year High
*Eye on the Economy is an NAHB newsletter that is published every two weeks and takes a larger view of recent economic and housing policy news. Recent economic data indicate that the overall economy has entered a slow growth period. Nonetheless, during this period economic indicators have generally suggested that housing, and home building in particular, is an important source… Read More ›
New Home Sales Continue Rise
New home sales increased to 372,000 per year on a seasonally-adjusted annual basis in July, which ties the revised May 2012 rate for the highest level since the end of the home buyer tax credit in early 2010. Monthly data does have more statistical variations so looking at a quarterly moving average shows sales have been increasing since September 2011…. Read More ›
Existing Home Sales Increase, Median Sales Price Declines
Existing home sales increased 2.3 percent from June, and are up 10.4 percent from the same period a year ago. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported July 2012 total existing home sales were at a seasonally adjusted rate of 4.47 million combined for single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops. That compares to 4.05 million units from the same period… Read More ›
Occupants Say Newer Homes are Better Insulated, Less Drafty
The Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS, produced by the Energy Information Agency in the U.S. Department of Energy) collects information on various housing characteristics, including the age of the structures. Although the actual energy consumption data has not yet been released, a RECS data set containing a considerable amount of ancillary, related information is available. For example, answers are available to… Read More ›