Tag Archives: New Home Sales

Dodge Data & Analytics reported a 4 percent drop in the value of new construction starts last month, estimating groundbreaking at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $589.8 billion. The decline followed a 10 percent increase in September, which was the strongest month for total construction starts so far this year.

MBA released on Thursday its Builder Applications Survey for October, revealing an 8 percent monthly pickup in new home purchase applications after a flat September. Mike Fratantoni, chief economist for the group, noted that the biggest increase came in applications for higher-priced homes.

The Commerce Department and HUD estimate that new home sales were at a seasonally adjusted annual pace of 467,000 in September, according to a joint report from the agencies. September's sales rate marks a 0.2 percent increase over August's revised rate and a 17 percent jump above September 2013. New home sales in August, originally reported at an annual pace of 504,000, came down dramatically in the government's revised estimate.

The National Association of Home Builders' (NAHB) index of builder sentiment fell in October, ending a four-month streak of gains that resulted in a nine-year peak. The group's Housing Market Index, a measure of homebuilder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes, lost five points in this month’s reading, bringing it to 54. An index value above 50 indicates market perceptions are more positive than negative.

Now that the overall economy is on more solid ground, Wells Fargo economists suggest that housing may soon follow in its footsteps. While some predict that the housing market is poised for more rentals than buys for years to come, particularly among millennials, Wells Fargo suggests the contrary.

In a release on Thursday, MBA estimated new single-family home sales ran last month at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 425,000 units, just up from a rate of 424,000 units in August. On an unadjusted basis, MBA estimates new home sales last month totaled 32,000, a decrease of 5.9 percent from August's prediction of 34,000.

The Commerce Department reported new home sales in August were up 18 percent month-over-month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 504,000. Compared to August 2013, estimated sales were up 33 percent. Economists projected a consensus sales pace of 430,000, which would have been a slight increase over July's upwardly revised figure of 427,000. Forecasts ranged from a low of 407,000 to a high of 465,000—still nearly 40,000 short of the government's estimate.

NAHB's Housing Market Index, a gauge of builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes, rose four points in the group's latest reading to 59, nine points above the benchmark separating a market largely viewed as good from one viewed as poor. September's gain brings the index to its highest value since November 2005, NAHB reported.

The Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Builder Application Survey tumbled 9 percent month-over-month in August, according to the latest from the group. The anticipated decline follows a 2.4 percent drop in July new home sales as reported by the Commerce Department. According to initial estimates from the government, sales that month were at an adjusted annual pace of 412,000.

In a release on Monday, the Commerce Department estimated new home sales last month were at a seasonally adjusted annual pace of 412,000, a decline of 2.4 percent month-over-month. June sales received a slight upward revision to a rate of 422,000, while May sales were also bumped up in a second revision to 454,000—still far below the 504,000 originally reported by the government.