Tag Archives: National Association of Home Builders

The Housing Market Index (HMI), a measure of builder confidence, stalled at 58 in September, unchanged from August’s downwardly revised reading, the National Association of Home Builders reported Tuesday. The August confidence reading had originally been 59. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg had expected the index to remain at that level. But a dip in one of the three index components--the outlook for new home sales six months out--pulled the reading down slightly.

Americans spent more on cars, furniture, health and beauty aids and at restaurants but were otherwise frugal in August as retail sales went up a disappointing 0.2 percent from July, the Census Bureau reported Friday. Economists had expected sales to increase 0.5 percent.

The National Association of Home Builders' Improving Markets Index--a list of areas showing sustained improvement in employment, home prices, and housing permits--reached a record high of 291 in September, according to release. ""While there is still plenty of room for growth, this is an excellent indication of how the housing recovery has begun to take hold across more geographical areas,"" ""said Rick Judson, chairman of the NAHB and a home builder from Charlotte, North Carolina.

While August's employment situation report was less than robust (with a staggering reduction in July's revised payrolls), it wasn't the first set of data to suggest trouble on the horizon for the housing recovery. The Case-Shiller home price index for June--the most recent--showed continuing, albeit slower, house price gains, pushing affordable homeownership still further from low paid workers. That is, until the numbers change again.

Confidence among developers of multifamily housing units is soaring, according to survey results released Thursday by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). ""Multifamily developer confidence is currently at an all-time high according to our survey results, and we expect to see that continue for the foreseeable future,"" said W. Dean Henry, chairman of NAHB's Multifamily Leadership Board. NAHB's Multifamily Production Index rose nine points over the second quarter of this year, reaching its highest rating on record--61.

Led by multifamily activity, new housing permits and starts rose in July with new construction, continuing a shift from single-family homes. The Census Bureau and HUD reported Friday builders broke ground on new homes at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 896,000 units, up 5.9 percent from June, and filed permits for construction of 943,000 new units, up 2.7 percent from June. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg had expected the pace of total starts to increase to 900,000 and total permits to increase to 918,000.

The National Association of Home Builders' Housing Market Index (HMI)--a measure of builder confidence--increased again in August, climbing three points to 59, its highest reading since November 2005, the group reported Thursday. The index has improved 15 points (34 percent) in the last three months. At the same time, the index reading for the Midwest rose to a record high (64), and the reading for the South hit the highest level (56) since April 2006. While NAHB's national survey began in January 1985, the regional readings began in December 2004.

Having been historically high for the past few years, affordability dipped somewhat in the second quarter of this year, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity index. Increasing prices and mortgage rates ""contributed to affordability slipping to the lowest level in four years,"" said David Crowe, chief economist at NAHB. Affordability fell from 73.7 percent in this year's first quarter to 69.3 percent--meaning 69.3 percent of Americans earning the national median income could afford a home sold during the quarter.

A drop in housing-related retailers slowed retail sales last month. Total retail sales increased 0.2 percent in July, down from June's 0.6 percent increase, the Census Bureau reported Tuesday. Economists had expected sales to increase 0.3 percent. The weaker-than-expected retail sales report decreases the likelihood the Federal Reserve will begin to taper its bond buying monetary stimulus program.

The number of markets listed on the National Association of Home Builders' (NAHB) Improving Markets Index (IMI) continued to decline in August, though the index still sits well ahead of where it was last year, the association reported. ""While the number of improving housing markets this August remains well ahead of the same month last year, the index is affected by seasonal softening in home prices just as we saw happen in 2012,"" explained NAHB chief economist David Crowe.