The prices of building materials rose 0.5% in August (not seasonally adjusted) even as softwood lumber prices decreased 5.2%, according to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) report. Building materials prices have climbed 4.9% through the first eight months of 2022 and 14.3% over the past year. The PPI for goods inputs to residential construction, including energy, decreased 0.9% in… Read More ›
Consumer prices eased in August for the second-straight month as declines in energy prices offset increases in food and shelter indexes. Despite this slight improvement, inflation remains above an 8% year-over-year rate for the sixth straight month. The food index recorded its largest annual gain since May 1979 as all six major grocery store food group indexes increased. Though it… Read More ›
The number of women employed in the construction industry increased to over 1.24 million in 2021, as the construction industry was quickly recovering jobs lost earlier during the pandemic induced recession. Currently, women make up 11% of the construction workforce, up from 9.3% in 2002. As the construction skilled labor shortage remains a key challenge for housing, adding new workers… Read More ›
Lot values for single-family detached housing starts in 2021 increased across the nation, with the national value and six out of nine Census division values setting new records. U.S. median lot price now stands at $55,000, according to NAHB’s analysis of the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC) data. In New England and Pacific, lot values surged 67% and 39%,… Read More ›
Of the roughly 1,127,000 single-family and 474,000 multifamily homes started in 2020, 37,000 (15,000 single-family and 22,000 multifamily) were built in age-restricted communities, according to NAHB tabulation of data from the Survey of Construction (SOC, conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau and partially funded by HUD). A residential community can be legally age-restricted, provided it conforms the one of the… Read More ›
Residential construction loan volume reached a post-Great Recession high during the second quarter of 2022, as home building activity and new home sales slowed. Outstanding builder loan balances are rising as development debt is being held longer as new homes remain in inventory longer. Loan balances will decline in coming quarters as the development loan market becomes more costly and… Read More ›
