Sign In
Free Newsletter
Homebuilders feel more confident in December
U.S. homebuilders’ confidence bounced back strongly this month, a sign that construction and industry hiring may pick up in coming months. The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo builder sentiment index released Tuesday climbed to 58. That was up from 54 in November and matched an eight-year high reached in August. Readings above 50 indicate […]
Average rate on 30-year U.S. mortgage stays 4.4 pct.
WASHINGTON — Average rates on U.S. long-term fixed mortgages remained steady for a second straight week, giving prospective home buyers more time to lock in historically low levels. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the average rate on the 30-year loan remained unchanged at 4.4 percent this week. That is a full percentage point […]
New-home sales jump to highest level in 5 years
WASHINGTON — Americans snapped up new homes in June at the fastest pace in five years, a sign the housing recovery is strengthening. Sales of newly built homes rose 8.3 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 497,000, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. That’s the highest since May 2008 and up from […]
Builder confidence falls on weak supply, labor
Confidence among U.S. homebuilders fell this month because of concerns that increased demand for new homes is exceeding supplies of ready-to-build land, building materials and workers. In the short term, those constraints could slow sales. But builders’ outlook for sales over the next six months has reached its strongest point in more than six years. […]
Homebuilder confidence dips from a 6½ year high
LOS ANGELES — Confidence among U.S. homebuilders slipped this month from the 6½ year high it reached in January, with many builders reporting less traffic by prospective customers before the critical spring home-buying season. The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo builder sentiment index released Tuesday dipped to 46 from 47 in January. It was […]
Home sales jump to highest since May 2010
WASHINGTON — A jump in sales of previously occupied homes and further gains in home construction suggest the U.S. housing recovery is gaining momentum. Sales of previously occupied homes rose 7.8 percent in August from July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.82 million, the National Association of Realtors said Wednesday. That’s the highest […]
Home construction in slow but steady comeback
WASHINGTON — Home construction is making a long-awaited recovery that could help energize the U.S. economy. From areas like Phoenix that are finally arising from the housing bust to cities like Chicago and Minneapolis where strong economies have lifted demand, residential construction is healthier than at any time since sales and prices collapsed five years […]
U.S. new-home sales rose at fastest pace in 2 years
WASHINGTON — Americans bought new homes in May at the fastest pace in more than two years. The increase suggests a modest recovery in the housing market continues, despite weaker job growth. The Commerce Department said Monday that sales of new homes increased 7.6 percent in May from April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate […]
US builder confidence ticks up to 5-year high
WASHINGTON (AP) — Confidence among U.S. builders ticked up this month to a five-year high, an indication that the housing market is slowly improving. The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo builder sentiment index rose in June to 29, the highest reading since May 2007. It increased from a reading of 28 last month, which […]
Numbers suggest housing market is recovering
WASHINGTON — U.S. builders started work on more homes and apartments last month and requested more permits to build single-family homes. The increases suggest the battered housing market is healing. The Commerce Department said Wednesday that builders broke ground in April at a seasonally adjusted annual pace of 717,000 homes. That’s a 2.6 percent increase […]
Home building slows, permits hit three-and-a-half-year high
WASHINGTON — U.S. builders requested the most permits in March for single-family homes and apartments in 3½ years, suggesting that many expect the housing market to improve over the next year. The Commerce Department said Tuesday that permits, a gauge of future construction, rose 4.5 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 747,000 in March. […]
Home builders optimistic about future
WASHINGTON — Homebuilders’ feelings about the current housing market haven’t changed from February. But many are growing more optimistic that sales could pick up in the coming months. The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo said Monday that its builder sentiment index stayed at 28, the highest level since June 2007. The flat reading followed […]
