Tag Archives: Homebuilders

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

Six of the top 10 markets with the most single-family construction activity over the last year are located in Texas and the Southeast, according to a report from John Burns Real Estate Consulting. Because housing demand and employment are usually tied together, single-family permit growth has also meant job growth for many metros. Oklahoma City, Orlando, and Phoenix have all seen substantial employment growth (above 2.5 percent year-over-year) to match the rise in permits.

Housing starts and permits jumped in September to their highest levels since July 2008, Census Bureau and Department of Housing and Urban Development reported jointly Wednesday. Housing starts jumped 15.0 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 872,000 while permits improved 11.6 percent to 894,000. Single family starts represented 69.2 percent of the total in September, matching their year-to-date share. Single family starts made up 71.5 percent of all starts for the same period in 2011.

After jumping 11 points in three months, builder confidence inched up one point in October to 41, remaining at its highest level since June 2006, the National Association of Home Builders reported Tuesday, matching economist expectations. The October boost was due entirely to a surge in homebuyer traffic in October, as other elements of the index were flat from September. The traffic index├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔé¼┬Øwhich had been revised downward in September to 30, from an originally reported 31├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔé¼┬Øleapt to 35, its highest level since April 2006.

Envoy Mortgage is expanding its business with the launch of its new National Builder Division platform. The independent, full-service mortgage banking firm wants to get in on the resurgence in the homebuilder market segment by offering targeted products and services to meet their specific needs.

Despite some heavy risks hanging over the industry, Moody's is projecting a positive future for the nation's homebuilders, the agency revealed.

More than 800 homeowners from across Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska, came together with local business leaders, real estate professionals, politicians, and civil rights leaders this week in support of homeownership. The rally took place in Independence, Missouri, and is one of nine events organized by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) to urge elected officials to back homeownership initiatives.

In another positive sign for the housing sector, the Pending Home Sales Index rose 2.4 percent in July to 101.7, its highest level since April 2010, the National Association of Realtors reported Wednesday. Economists had expected a 1.0 percent increase to 100.3. The July increase more than reversed an unexpected 1.4 percent drop to 99.3 in June. The only negatives in recent reports were a slight drop in housing starts in July and drops in the median price for existing and new homes in July.

New home sales fell to 350,000, setting a five-month low in June, the Census Bureau and HUD reported jointly Wednesday. Economists had expected sales to inch up slightly from the preliminary sales report in May. May sales were revised up to 382,000 from the originally reported 369,000. Both the average and median price of a new home fell in June from May. The median price was also down from June 2011 while the average price was up slightly. The average price of a new home fell in June to $273,900.

Compared to the two-year high for new home sales in May, June's figures were met with disappointment. On Wednesday, the Census Bureau reported new home sales dropped 8.4 percent month-over-month to 350,000 in June compared to an upwardly revised 382,000 for May. In an IHS Global Insight commentary, economists Patrick Newport and Michele Valverde pointed out that figures for March, April, and May were all revised up, and that sales were up in the Midwest and West, but down in the Northeast and South.