New Home Sales Surge Ahead in May at Fastest Pace in 2 Years
Americans bought new homes in May at the fastest pace in more than two years. The 7.6% increase suggests a modest recovery in the housing market is continuing, despite weaker job growth.
HousingStarts
Builders Start More Single-Family Homes; Permit Requests Surge
U.S. builders started work on more single-family homes in May and requested the most permits to build homes and apartments in three and a half years. The increase suggests the housing market is slowly recovering even as other areas of the economy have weakened.
Housing Starts Surge, but Level Remains Low
A surge in apartment construction gave builders more work in November, but 2011 is still shaping up to be one of the worst years in history for homebuilders.
'Divorce Starts': A Leading Indicator for Home Sales?
While not everyone whose marriage ends rushes out to break ground on a new home, some real estate agents say divorcing spouses make up at least a third of their clients. With the economy impacting divorce trends and marital splits pushing spending trends, should economists be watching divorce rates when they chart the economic outlook?