Using the Consumer Expenditure Survey (CES) data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), NAHB Economics estimates that a home purchase triggers significant spending on appliances, furnishings, and remodeling. NAHB’s most recent estimates are based on the pre-pandemic 2017-2019 data and show that during the first year after closing on the house, a typical buyer…
An expected impact of the virus crisis is a need for more residential space, as people use homes for more purposes including work. According to first quarter 2022 data from the Census Quarterly Starts and Completions by Purpose and Design and NAHB analysis, median single-family square floor area inched down to 2,310 square feet. Average…
Residential construction loan volume reached a post-Great Recession high during the first quarter of 2022, as home building activity entered a new year with higher interest rates. As the single-family building market slows in 2022, the volume of such loans will likely peak in the coming quarters. The volume of 1-4 unit residential construction loans…
New single-family home sales posted a significant decline in April as housing demand deteriorated in the face of rising interest rates. After starting at 3.1% in December, the average 30-year fixed rate mortgage increased to 5.1% by the end of April, per Freddie Mac. Additionally, builders continue to grapple with supply-chain issues, limiting inventory in…
According to NAHB analysis of the most recent Census data of Starts and Completions by Purpose and Design, during the first quarter of 2022 single-family attached starts totaled 36,000, which is 16% higher than the first quarter of 2021. Over the last four quarters, townhouse construction starts totaled 152,000 units, 25% higher than the prior four…
The single-family built-for-rent sector continues to expand as housing affordability headwinds increase. According to NAHB’s analysis of data from the Census Bureau’s Quarterly Starts and Completions by Purpose and Design, there were approximately 13,000 single-family built-for-rent (SFBFR) starts during the first quarter of 2022. This is a 62.5% gain over the first quarter 2021 total. Over…
Single-family starts declined in April, as higher interest rates weighed on housing affordability, producing a fifth straight decline for the NAHB/Wells Fargo HMI. Additionally, the cost and availability of materials, lumber, labor and lots remain key supply-side headwinds. Single-family permits decreased 4.6% to a 1.11 million unit rate in April. Nonetheless, the resale market lacks…
