U.S. Housing Starts Plummet in April, But Permits Surge
Ground-breaking for new U.S. homes plummeted more than expected in April from an almost five-year high.
NAHB
If Fed Ends Quantitative Easing Now, It'll Hurt More Than Housing
Just as we hear that previously occupied home sales hit their second-highest level in three years, we also hear that the Federal Reserve is having second thoughts on its latest round of quantitative easing, also known as QE3.
U.S. Home Sales Jump to Highest Level Since May 2010
U.S. sales of previously occupied homes jumped in August to the highest level in more than two years, adding momentum to the housing recovery. Sales rose 7.8 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.82 million, the National Association of Realtors said.
People@Work: Construction Job Growth Is Slowly Rebuilding
New forecasts show that the worst may be over for the construction industry, which was hit harder by the Great Recession than any other sector, as construction projects slowly resume. Some 27% of construction firms say they plan to add staff this year, while only 20% plan to cut jobs.
Homebuilder Confidence Index Goes Nowhere
Technically, the homebuilder sentiment index inched one point higher to 16 in November. But the gain was offset by a revised one-point dip in October's reading, and the numbers remain well below those seen during a healthy housing market.
Homebuilder Confidence Falls to a 17-Month Low
The U.S. housing sector took another hit this month as homebuilder sentiment unexpectedly fell to 13 in August from 14 in July. The measure has been drifting lower since the federal homebuyers tax credit expired this spring.
Homebuilders Losing Faith as Tax Credit Ends
The U.S. real estate market recorded another setback in July: The National Association of Home Builders reported that its Housing Market Index fell to 14 from 16 in June, with builder confidence waning and sales dipping after the expiration of the federal home-buyers tax credit.
Housing Starts, Builder Confidence Keep Rising
Both home builder confidence and housing starts are up this spring, which is good news for the U.S. economy. Even so, activity in the housing market is still far below healthy economic levels.
Home Builder Confidence Falls
A modest setback on the housing front, as home builder confidence unexpectedly fell in January, as concern about job growth and the large supply of foreclosed homes on the market weighed on builders' sentiment.
