Tag: Eye on Housing
Drywall Prices Expected to Rise
While most building materials prices will likely increase in the wake of hurricanes Harvey and Irma, the price for gypsum might be the first to ascend as a result of the storms.
New Single-Family Homes Getting Smaller
Bigger isn’t always better. In fact, when it comes to the average and median size of new homes, smaller homes could mean more sales.
Builder Confidence Springs Back with 4-Point August Jump
The NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index rose four points in August to 68. “Our members are encouraged by rising demand in the new-home market,” said NAHB Chairman Granger MacDonald. “This is due to ongoing job and economic growth, attractive mortgage rates and growing consumer confidence.”
Higher Loan Limits a Catalyst for Home Sales
Affordability is a top concern for more home shoppers. That’s why last year NAHB helped push for higher limits on single-family loans. Increasing the limits has resulted in lower borrowing costs for home buyers, and helped spur home sales thus far in 2017.
Almost 80,000 Starts Last Year were Tear-Downs
The Census Bureau doesn’t specifically track new homes constructed on sites where a previous residence was torn down or where there is evidence of a previous residential structure. To fill the data void, NAHB polled members earlier this year about tear-downs via its monthly NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index survey.
Lumber Shortages Encumber More Builders
Home builders across the country were getting hammered by skyrocketing lumber prices earlier this year. And now, more of them are reporting lumber supply shortages, too. More than 1 in 5 single-family builders say they are experiencing a shortage of framing lumber.
Home Buying a Strong Boost to Overall Economy, NAHB Study Shows
In their first year of ownership, new home buyers spend about $10,601 on appliances, furnishings and home improvement projects — 2.6 times as much as other home owners in a typical year.
Housing Demand in the Southeast Finds a ‘New Normal’
It’s been an up-and-down year thus far in the Southeast U.S. for home building. But May sales numbers indicate the region is finding its sweet spot.
Finance Changes Shaping the Housing Market
In his remarks in the latest issue of Eye on the Economy, NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz provided his insights on the state of the economy as it relates to the home building industry, highlighting changes in interest rates, loan availability and housing demand.
Remodeling Expenditure Estimates Revealed for 2017
Home owners who remodel in 2017 will spend an average of $6,148 on each project, according to NAHB’s recent projections of spending by ZIP code for each of over 26,000 ZIP codes across the United States.
