In the first quarter of 2021, real GDP surged and approached its pre-pandemic level as the economy continued to reopen. This quarter’s growth reflected strong gains for consumer and government spending. According to the “advance” estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 6.4% in the first quarter… Read More ›
Thanks to a surge in residential investment during 2020, housing’s share of GDP has returned and remains near historic norms. Last year’s market conditions involved a renewed focus on the importance of home, an evolving geography of housing demand, and a lack of for-sale inventory. Housing should continue to expand in 2021. For the first quarter of 2021, overall GDP growth continued… Read More ›
According to NAHB’s latest estimates, rising softwood lumber prices over the last 12 months have added $35,872 to the price of an average new single-family home, and $12,966 to the market value of an average new multifamily home. That increase in multifamily value translates to households paying $119 a month more to rent a new apartment. These estimates are based on the softwood lumber used… Read More ›
Interest in homeownership among prospective buyers continues to grow in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, with 16% of American adults looking to purchase a home in the next 12 months — up from 10% year over year — according to NAHB’s Housing Trends Report for the first quarter of 2021. This is the third — and largest — year over year increase in the series’ history.
The 2021 Solar Decathlon Design Challenge — a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) collegiate competition that tasks students with designing low-carbon, high-performance buildings powered by renewable energy — marked the competition’s 19th year, with the first ever Virtual Village on the National Mall featuring nine builds with 3D renderings, diagrams and videos for each university’s project.
