Eye On Housing
According to NAHB analysis of the 2013 Census Bureau Survey of Construction (SOC) data, use of non-conventional financing methods to purchase new homes varies widely across the country. The West South Central divison is most heavily reliant on mortages insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) with the share of FHA-insured loans reaching almost 20 percent. At the same time,… Read More ›
According to data from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC), single-family homes started in New England, where local zoning regulations often require very low densities, are built on some of the largest and most expensive lots in the nation. Looking at single-family spec homes started in 2013, the median lot size in New England exceeds half an acre. This… Read More ›
NAHB analysis of the Survey of Construction (SOC) data shows that nationally, about 30 percent of new single-family homes started in 2013 have a full or partial basement, 54 percent are built on slabs, and 15 percent have a crawl space. The remaining share, including homes built on stilts or pilings, accounted for about 1 percent of homes started in… Read More ›
New NAHB research reveals significant regional differences in the share of custom homes started in 2013. The analysis finds that the Northeast and East North Central parts of the nation have the highest market shares. The new findings come from analysis of the 2013 Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC). The SOC differentiates between houses built for sale, houses built… Read More ›
Looking at single-family homes started in 2013, new NAHB research quantifies regional differences in sale and contract prices per square foot. The prices excluding lot values range from $145 per square foot for contractor-built homes in the Pacific division to $73 per square foot for speculatively-built homes in the West South Central division. The NAHB analysis is based on the… Read More ›
The 2012 Survey of Construction (SOC) from the Census Bureau shows that on average it takes about 7 months from obtaining a building permit to completing a new single-family home. Looking at the houses completed in 2012, houses built for sale, on average, register the shortest time from permits to completion – between 5 and 6 months. Houses built on… Read More ›
As of 2012, FHA/VA insured loans still account for well over 20 percent of the market for new single-family homes, according to data from the Survey of Construction (SOC). The SOC is conducted by the Census Bureau, partly funded by HUD, and the source of the familiar monthly series on housing starts. Among other things, the SOC collects information on… Read More ›