Higher mortgage rates averaging above 7% put a damper on single-family production in August, as builders also continue to face supply-side challenges in the form of elevated construction costs, a lack of skilled labor and a shortage of buildable lots. Led by a sharp decline in multifamily production, overall housing starts fell 11.3% in August to a seasonally adjusted annual…
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Single-Family Starts Edge Higher in July
A lack of existing inventory and solid demand helped offset rising mortgage rates and push single-family production higher in July, even as builders continue to grapple with elevated construction and financing costs as well as a lack of skilled labor.
Read MoreNew Home Sales Jump in May
A lack of existing inventory coupled with solid consumer demand helped to boost new home sales in May to their highest level since February 2022. Sales of newly built, single-family homes in May increased 12.2% to a 763,000 seasonally adjusted annual rate, according to newly released data by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census…
Read MoreHousing Starts Post Solid Gain in May
Limited existing inventory combined with solid demand and improving supply chains helped push single-family starts to an 11-month high in May. Overall housing starts in May increased 21.7% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.63 million units, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau. It takes 400 tons…
Read MoreSingle-Family Starts Show Gradual Improvement in April
A lack of existing inventory and stabilizing mortgage rates helped push single-family production up to the highest rate thus far in 2023 even as builders continue to deal with high construction costs, persistent labor shortages and tightening credit conditions for construction loans. Overall housing starts in April increased 2.2% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.40 million units, according…
Read MoreHousing Affordability is a Big Challenge
Last month, I wrote about how population growth is one of the biggest drivers of the entire housing market, including new and existing homes. Why? Because population growth helps drive housing formations. The majority of household formations occur when a group of young Millennials or Gen-Zers leave their parents’ basements and decide to room together, usually in connection with a…
Read MoreThe AVP Pulse Index for April
April 20, 2023 – The AVP Pulse Index for April – brought to you by Rock Products and Allen-Villere Partners – ticked up slightly by +0.6%, maintaining the steady flattening observed a couple of months ago, and where we believe the index will remain for the foreseeable future. This increase reflects a healthy Construction Materials Industry and demonstrates the start of an…
Read MoreSingle-Family Starts Improve in March
Single-family production showed signs of a gradual upturn in March as stabilizing mortgage rates and limited existing inventory helped to offset stubbornly high construction costs, building labor shortages and tightening credit conditions.
Read MoreNew Home Sales Remain Relatively Flat in February
Higher mortgage rates and home prices, as well as increased construction costs contributed to lackluster new home sales in February, but signs point to improvement later in the year. Sales of newly built, single-family homes in February increased 1.1% to a 640,000 seasonally adjusted annual rate from a downwardly revised reading in January, according to newly released data by the…
Read MoreSingle-Family Starts Remain Lackluster
Single-family production remained at an anemic pace in February as builders continue to wrestle with elevated mortgage rates, high construction costs and tightening credit conditions that threaten to be exacerbated by recent turmoil in the banking system. Led by gains in apartment construction, overall housing starts in February increased 9.8% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.45 million units,…
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