As home prices rise, so does home builder confidence. Tuesday, the National Association of Homebuilders reported its monthly Housing Market Index (HMI) at 41, a one-tick improvement from September and the highest HMI value since June 2006 -- a span of 77 months. The Housing Market Index is a homebuilder confidence indicator. When it reads 50 or better, the HMI suggests favorable conditions for home builders nationwide. Readings below 50 suggest unfavorable conditions for builders. The HMI has not crossed 50 since April 2006 but the index has been making a run since last year, nearly … [Read more...]
Housing Starts Move To 2-Year High
The new construction housing market continues to make gains. Wednesday, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Housing Starts for single-family homes up 5.5 percent in August to a seasonally-adjusted, annualized count of 535,000 units nationwide. The report marks the fifth month of six that single-family starts increased, and marks the highest starts tally since April 2010 -- the last month of that year's federal homebuyer tax credit program. A "housing start" is a new home on which construction has started and the steady growth in single-family starts suggests a stronger Arizona housing market … [Read more...]
Homebuilder Confidence Rises Again; Tops 40
Home builder confidence continues to make new highs. As reported by the National Association of Home Builders, the Housing Market Index, a measure of builder confidence, rose to a reading of 40 in September -- its highest mark since June 2006. The index is now higher through five straight months and 11 of the last 12. For home buyers in Phoenix , the survey may be signaling higher new home prices ahead; when builders are more confident in housing, they're may be less likely to make concessions in price, and to "sweeten" deals with free upgrades and/or subsidized mortgage rates. The … [Read more...]
Homebuilder Confidence Rises To 5-Year High
Home builder confidence rises again. For August 2012, the National Association of Homebuilders reports the monthly Housing Market Index at 37 -- an increase of more than 100% from one year ago and the highest HMI value since February 2007. The Housing Market Index is an indicator of homebuilder confidence and when it reads 50 or better, the HMI suggests favorable conditions for home builders. Readings below 50 suggest unfavorable conditions for builders. Despite the recent rise in home builder attitudes, however, the Housing Market Index remains mired below 50 where it's been since April 2006. … [Read more...]
Singe-Family Housing Starts Rise For 4th Straight Month
New construction housing is in a post-recession rally. As reported by the Census Bureau, on a seasonally-adjusted, annualized basis, last month's Single-Family Housing Starts rose 5 percent to 539,000 units nationwide. This is the highest reading since April 2010, the last month of that year's federal home buyer tax credit. A "housing start" is a new home on which construction has started. June's strong numbers also mark the fourth consecutive month during which Single-Family Housing Starts have climbed. This, too, has not occurred since April 2010. The data is yet one more signal to … [Read more...]