Tag Archives: Homebuilders

Builder confidence continued to improve in December as the Housing Market Index (HMI) rose two points to 47--its highest level since April 2006--the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reported Tuesday. It was the eighth straight monthly increase in the index and matched economist expectations. Two of the three components of the index improved--the measures of current sales and buyer traffic--while the gauge of sales six months out slipped one point from the revised November reading of 52 (down from the original 53).

A Los Angeles jury ruled three former IndyMac Bank officers must pay $169 million in damages to the FDIC for making negligent loans to homebuilders.

Strong positive indicators in the housing market have Capital Economics revising its predictions on growth in 2013 and beyond.

Construction spending during October was at a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of $872.1 billion, according to an estimate from the Census Bureau. Spending on private construction was at an annual rate of $592.1 billion in October, up about $9.4 billion (1.6 percent) from September's revised $582.7 billion. Spending on homebuilding made up a little less than half of that total, reaching an annual rate of $294.2 billion (up 3.0 percent from September and 20.8 percent from October 2011).

New home sales barely budged in October, dropping 0.3 percent to 368,000 after September's report was revised sharply downward from an original 389,000 to 369,000 the Census Bureau and Department of Housing and Urban Development reported Wednesday. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg expected the report to show a sales pace of 387,000. Even with the slow growth in October, sales are up 17.2 percent from October 2011. However, the year-over-year gain was weaker than the 25.3 percent annual growth reported for September.

Housing starts rose 3.6 percent in October to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 894,000--the highest level since July 2008--but permits for new residential construction fell, the Census Bureau and Department of Housing and Urban Development reported jointly Tuesday. Permits and starts for September were revised lower, making the month-over-month percentage growth for starts stronger. Permits in October were down 2.7 percent from September to 866,000.

Builder confidence continued its march to "break-even," with the Housing Market Index (HMI) climbing five points in November to 46.

Construction spending rose 0.6 percent in September to its highest level since 2009, the Census Bureau reported Thursday. Spending during the month was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $851.6 billion, up from the revised August estimated of $846.2 billion. Private residential construction posted a 2.8 percent gain from August. That improvement was mostly driven by single-family building, which rose 3.9 percent as low mortgage rates spurred increased demand for new homes.

In a US Housing Market Update released by the firm, analyst and property economist Paul Diggle notes that while "a substantial overhang of properties still in the shadow inventory" will keep distressed sellers in the market, the peak in distressed supply appears to be well behind us, giving homebuilders more room to grow with less competition from discounted homes. In addition, short sales--typically sold at a smaller discount--have been gaining traction as foreclosure sales drop, creating "less of a depressing influence on the new-build market."

In a webinar hosted by the NAHB, economists discussed the housing recovery, what's keeping it going, and what may throw it off course.