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☆ New home sales surged in March despite elevated mortgage rates
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Washington CNN —Sales of newly built single-family homes in the United States soared in March despite mortgage rates remaining elevated that month. Housing market poised to remain difficultThe broader US housing market is expected to remain tough for Americans, with mortgage rates poised to stay well above 6% this year, economists say. The Federal Reserve doesn’t directly set mortgage rates, but its actions do influence them, and the central bank isn’t expected to cut interest rates anytime soon. “Despite high prices and mortgage rates, homebuyers have limited options on the resale market, although resale inventories have improved some over the course of this year,” Gregg Logan, managing director at RCLCO Real Estate Consulting, said in a note Tuesday. “The willingness of the major homebuilders to utilize incentives such as price reductions, mortgage rate buy-downs and paying buyers closings costs continue to support a healthy pace of new home sales,” he added.

Persons: ” Gregg Logan, “ Organizations: Washington CNN —, National Association of Realtors, Housing, Federal Reserve, Fed, Real Estate Consulting Locations: United States, Northeast

☆ How one real-estate unicorn is getting past gutting layoffs and slowing deals
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-08 | by ( Alex Nicoll | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Rising interest rates have slammed the brakes on deals, and many real-estate companies have cut staff as revenues slowed. Founded in 2020 by real-estate executives Ryan Stroker and William Martiner, Avenue One was profitable by early 2021, company officials told Business Insider. AdvertisementAvenue One cofounder and CEO Ryan Stroker told BI in an interview how the company is navigating the difficult business environment. "I was told that I wasn't spending enough money six months before the layoffs," Stroker said. Layoffs and Big SpendingBoth Stroker and Avenue One's followup statement said the company is financially secure and described the layoffs as prudent rather than necessary.

Persons: It's, Ryan Stroker, William Martiner, Wall, Stroker, Martiner, John Burns, Ryan, Axel Springer Organizations: Service, KKR, Global, Business, MetLife, Wall, Amherst, John Burns Real Estate Consulting, BI Locations: Manhattan, Axel

Permits were 1.9% more than the upwardly revised 1.47 million November number and at an annual level of 1.5 million. Housing starts fell 4.3% from the November annual rate of 1.53 million, a reading that was revised downward from the robust 1.56 million originally estimated. Both permits and starts were higher than a year ago, by 6.1% and 7.6%, respectively. The Best Cartoons on the Economy View All 178 Images“Falling mortgage rates should jump-start the demand for housing in the coming months,” said Jeffrey Roach, chief economist at LPL Financial. On Wednesday, the National Association of Home Builders said its January survey found builder confidence surged as mortgage rates for the benchmark 30-year fixed rate loan dipped to 6.75%.

Persons: ”, Jeffrey Roach, Alicia Huey, Kelly Mangold Organizations: Census Bureau, Department of Housing, Urban, Housing, LPL, National Association of Home Builders, ” Builders, Real Estate Consulting Locations: Birmingham , Alabama, U.S

☆ How bosses keep track of your attendance at the office, from under-desk sensors to badge swipes
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-12 | by ( Sarah Jackson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Return-to-office plans put renewed attention on these tactics, which range from badge swipes to various sensors. Here are the most popular ways employers track office utilization, according to a new survey from EY. With heightened focus on hauling workers back to the office, companies are deploying more "bossware" technologies to monitor compliance with RTO mandates. AdvertisementEY's survey asked respondents, "How are you currently collecting data to maximize and optimize your office space?" It's no secret some companies use their office attendance findings to discipline or fire workers refusing to go back to the office.

Persons: —, EY, Francisco Acoba, what's, Acoba Organizations: Service, EY's, Real Estate Consulting, Technology, Bluetooth Low Energy

☆ New home sales fell last month as mortgage rates hit 2023 high
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Washington, DC CNN —New home sales in the United States fell in October as typical mortgage rates reached their highest levels this year. This was below analysts’ expectations of an annualized sales pace of 723,000. The average mortgage rate for that loan has been lower recently, dropping down to 7.29% last week, according to Freddie Mac. New home builders often offer more financing options for homebuyers, she said, and are able to “buy down” mortgage rates to make their offerings more attractive than the resale market. With [mortgage] interest rates anticipated to drop in the coming year, more resale homes may go on the market – however there remains significant pent-up demand from buyers,” Mangold said.

Persons: Freddie Mac, ”, Kelly Mangold, ” Mangold, “ Organizations: DC CNN, US Department of Housing, Urban Development, Census, Federal Reserve, Real Estate Consulting, homebuyers Locations: Washington, United States

New home sales fell 5.6% in October, worse than expected, as higher mortgage rates took a bite out of demand. The annual level of sales in October was 679,000, down from September’s substantially revised 719,000 pace, However, sales in October were still up 17.7% from a year ago. October saw a sharp increase in mortgage rates to around 8% for a 30-year fixed rate loan. However, the higher mortgage rates have slowed sales of new homes as well. The recent drop in mortgage rates, with more expected next year, could prove to be a tonic to the market.

Persons: ”, Kelly Mangold, Greg Logan, Lisa Sturtevant, ” “, ” Sturtevant Organizations: Census Bureau, Department of Housing, Urban Development, Builders, RCLCO Real Estate Consulting, MLS Locations: RCLCO, Southern, Northeast, Midwest

☆ New home construction increased in October for second straight month
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Washington, DC CNN —The annual pace of new home construction increased again last month amid a historic shortage of housing inventory and crushing mortgage rates. Housing starts, a measure of new home construction, jumped by 1.9% in October, compared to the previous month. Starts rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.372 million last month, rising above expectations of 1.35 million, according to data released Wednesday by the Census Bureau. Building permits also ticked up in October, climbing 1.1% from August’s revised number to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.487 million. “The new construction housing market is poised to ensure that inventory is available to meet pent-up demand of households who have been waiting for a reprieve in rates before purchasing.”

Persons: ”, Kelly Mangold, Mangold Organizations: DC CNN, Housing, Census, Real Estate Consulting Locations: Washington

☆ US new home sales surged in September
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington, DC CNN —New home sales in the United States surged higher in September from the month before, even as mortgage rates remained over 7%, making financing a home costlier and pushing people out of the market. This represents the fastest pace of sales since February 2022 and easily exceeds analysts’ expectations of a sales pace of 680,000. Sales of existing homes have been trending down since February and are down 20% year to date in September from a year ago. While new home sales are a much smaller share of the overall sales market than existing home sales, the inventory picture is rosier for new construction homes. This represents a supply of 6.9 months at the current sales pace.

Persons: Freddie Mac, ”, Kelly Mangold, Mangold Organizations: DC CNN, United States, US Department of Housing, Urban Development, Census, Federal Reserve, Real Estate Consulting, National Association of Realtors Locations: Washington, United, “

☆ What it will take to make homes affordable again for millions of Americans
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Tim Mullaney | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

"At the current 8% mortgage rate, mortgage payment[s] are 38% of median income," Moody's Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi said. The National Association of Realtors measures affordability through its 34-year old Housing Affordability Index, or HAI. And even if home prices do the decline, that trend won't be sustainable unless America builds millions of more homes. And spreads will likely remain extra-wide until short-term interest rates drop below the rates on longer-term treasuries, Duncan said. "Mortgage rates will not go back to 3% – we'll be lucky if we get back to 5," Yun said.

Persons: —, John Burns, maven Mohamed El, Lawrence Yun, Yun, Mark Zandi, That's, Doug Duncan, Fannie, Duncan, Daryl Fairweather, They've, Fairweather, they've, Freddie Mac, –, Zandi, it's Organizations: Nurphoto, Getty, National Association of Realtors, John Burns Real Estate Consulting, NAR, Redfin, Allianz, America, Federal Reserve, realtors, Builders, Fed Locations: Florida, Austin , Texas, Boise , Idaho, Fannie Mae, America, New York, California, Phoenix, Tampa, Louisville, Indianapolis, Chicago

Consumers are growing more pessimistic about future prospects for the economy, according to the latest survey from the Conference Board released on Tuesday. “Consumer confidence fell again in September 2023, marking two consecutive months of decline,” said Dana Peterson, chief economist at the business organization. “September’s disappointing headline number reflected another decline in the expectations index, as the present situation index was little changed. “Write-in responses showed that consumers continued to be preoccupied with rising prices in general, and for groceries and gasoline in particular,” Peterson added. “Consumers also expressed concerns about the political situation and higher interest rates.

Persons: ”, Dana Peterson, “, ” Peterson, “ Consumers, Kelly Mangold, Lisa Sturtevant Organizations: Conference, “, Federal Reserve, Census Bureau, U.S . Department of Housing, Urban Development, Real Estate Consulting, MLS, American Financial Corporation

☆ Home building sank in August amid crushing mortgage rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Washington, DC CNN —US home building sank in August, dropping 11.3% from July levels, as mortgage rates stayed elevated amid lingering inflation. After rising in July, new home starts dropped in August as mortgage rates climbed back to their late 2022 peak. “The combination of high interest rates, high pricing, and limited inventory has continued to plague the housing market,” said Kelly Mangold of RCLCO Real Estate Consulting. “In many cases, even repurchasing their same home at today’s mortgage rates would be out of a typical buyer’s price range.”More than 90% of homeowners have a mortgage rate under 6% and many have rates closer to 2% or 3%. Home builder confidence was lower in September, according to a separate report from the National Association of Home Builders / Wells Fargo Housing Market Index released Monday.

Persons: ”, Kelly Mangold, Mangold, “ Organizations: DC CNN, Housing, Census, Real Estate Consulting, “, National Association of Home Builders Locations: Washington, Wells Fargo

The pace of new construction slowed in August amid high mortgage rates and weakening demand, the federal government reported on Tuesday. Housing starts fell 11.3% in August to an annual rate of 1.28 million, the lowest since the summer of 2020. Builders typically pull permits in anticipation of demand, but housing starts occur when lots are ready to be cleared following deposits on future purchases. “The combination of high interest rates, high pricing, and limited inventory has continued to plague the housing market. “And on the supply-side front, builders continue to grapple with shortages of construction workers, buildable lots and distribution transformers, which is further adding to housing affordability woes.

Persons: ”, Kelly Mangold, Alicia Huey, Ksenia Potapov Organizations: Housing, Real Estate Consulting, National Association of Home Builders, First American Financial Corp, “ Locations: Birmingham , Alabama

☆ Lumber prices defy the most recent surge in mortgage rates to extend 3-day rally to 10%
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Matthew Fox | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Lumber prices staged a 3-day rally of 10% despite continued headwinds in the housing market. The average 30-year mortgage rate closed in on 6% this week, hitting its highest level since 2008. The gains come despite continued headwinds in the housing market, particularly a surge in mortgage rates. Another builder in Harrisburg said it saw a big uptick in buying activity when mortgage rates briefly dipped in early August to 5%, signaling how strongly correlated mortgage rates are to home sales. There has been little lag between mortgage rates and a hike in the Federal Funds Rate, as has been seen when the Fed first began raising rates in March, precisely when mortgage rates also began to soar.

Persons: Homebuilders, doesn't bode, Freddie Mac, John Burns, Austin Organizations: Service, John Burns Real Estate Consulting, Federal Reserve, Fed Locations: Wall, Silicon, Tampa, Harrisburg, Philadelphia

☆ New home sales rose to a 17-month high in July
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Washington, DC CNN —New home sales rose in July from the month before, beating estimates and reaching a 17-month high, as buyers continue to look to new construction as an option in the face of a historically low supply of existing homes. While new home sales have been trending higher over the past year, sales of existing homes have been down for the past few months. Sales in the Midwest surged 47.4% from a month ago and sales in the West were up 21.5% from June. Meanwhile, sales in the Northeast declined by 2.9% from last month and dropped by 6.3% in the South. “When existing homes are hard to find, new homes at the right price are a good substitute.”

Persons: Kelly Mangold, ”, George Ratiu, Odeta Kushi Organizations: DC CNN, US Department of Housing, Urban Development, Census, Real Estate Consulting, ”, Midwest, National Association of Realtors, “ Builders, Builders, First Locations: Washington, –

☆ US home builders ramped up construction in July, beating expectations
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Housing starts, a measure of new-home construction, climbed to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.452 million in the month, beating market expectations of 1.448 million, according to data released Wednesday by the Census Bureau. “Buyers embraced new homes in the first half of this year as a welcome alternative to the massive shortage of existing homes,” Ratiu said. The slight increase in starts suggests builders have some optimism, she said, though it remains to be seen what future mortgage rate increases may mean for the market. “In many cases, even repurchasing their same home at today’s mortgage rates would be out of a typical buyer’s price range.”Mortgage rates are hovering around 7% and interested buyer traffic is slowing down for some builders. The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index, released Tuesday looks at current sales, buyer traffic and the outlook for sales of new construction homes over the next six months.

Persons: George Ratiu, “ Buyers, ” Ratiu, “ Homebuilders, ”, “, eeking, Kelly Mangold, ” Mangold, Alicia Huey, Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, LEN, Horton Organizations: DC CNN, Housing, Census, “, West, Real Estate Consulting, National Association of Home Builders Locations: Washington, Midwest, West, Wells Fargo, Lennar

☆ New home sales dropped in June after May’s surge
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Homeowners with ultra-low mortgage rates are reluctant to sell and buy another home at a much higher mortgage rate. Sales of existing homes have been down for the past few months, while new home sales have been rising. This increase in mortgage rates cooled mortgage applications. New home sales boosted by low inventory of existing homesAlthough sales were down from May, the trajectory of new home sales is generally positive, said Kelly Mangold of RCLCO Real Estate Consulting. By comparison, the inventory of existing homes for sale at the end of June was only a little over 1 million homes.

Persons: Freddie Mac, Kelly Mangold, “ Buyers, ” Mangold, ”, George Ratiu, Charlotte , Organizations: DC CNN, US Department of Housing, Urban Development, Census, Real Estate Consulting, “, National Association of Realtors Locations: Washington, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Charlotte, Charlotte , North Carolina, Austin , Texas, Orlando , Florida, Southern

☆ New Yorkers Got Broken Promises. Developers Got 20 Million Sq. Ft.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Urvashi Uberoy | Keith Collins | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +15 min

These agreements allow developers to build larger towers and earn more revenue in exchange for providing public spaces. “Developers received something that was disproportionately valuable,” said Jerold S. Kayden, a lawyer and professor of urban planning and design at Harvard University and an advocate for keeping privately owned public spaces open to the public. Bonus Building Space The additional space that developers received is often far larger than the public spaces they provided. Here are the 392 buildings with privately owned public spaces. The violations fall under three main categories:Reduced Access In 2021, the plaza at 835 Sixth Avenue was fenced off.

Persons: Jonathan J, Miller, Richard J, Roddewig, ”, Jerold, Kayden, Gale Brewer, ” Ms, Brewer, “, Larry Silverstein, Mr, Silverstein, Melissa Grace, David Rubenstein Organizations: of Buildings, Advisory Services, “, Harvard University, New York’s Department of City Planning, Municipal Art Society of New, The Times, greenwich, madison, Database, New York City Department of City Planning, Department, Environmental, Buildings, Department of, Planning, City, The, of City Planning, Department of City Planning, Wall, Lincoln Center, Times, MANHATTAN BRONX, Yorkers, Real, Board, New, Google Locations: New York City, Central, Municipal Art Society of New York, pennsylvania, greenwich, lincoln, “, Manhattan, MANHATTAN BRONX QUEENS BROOKLYN, New York, AKAM, Brooklyn

☆ Arizona governor slams the brakes on Phoenix development because it doesn't have enough water
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Arizona will halt approvals of new developments that don't plan for alternate water sources. The new rule applies to the Phoenix area, whose population just topped 5 million in 2022. The state is also under federal pressure to use less water from the Colorado River. But regulators won't be approving new developments in areas around Phoenix that depend solely on groundwater supplies. Hobbs said a study of the project showed that it will require water sources other than groundwater.

Persons: Katie Hobbs, Hobbs, Phoenix, John Burns Organizations: Service, Los Angeles Times, Democrat, LA Times, Developers, Census, John Burns Real Estate Consulting, Gov Locations: Arizona, Phoenix, Colorado, Arizona , California, Nevada, Chandler, Houston, John Burns Real Estate Consulting . Arizona

☆ Wall Street landlords with billions in their coffers have gone silent, patiently waiting for cheaper homes to buy
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( Alex Nicoll | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

For the first two or so years of the pandemic, it looked like big, corporate landlords would buy up so many rental homes that they'd soon control the market that had been the purview of mom-and-pop owners. But five months in, the lull that started the year persists, said analysts at John Burns Real Estate Consulting, a purveyor of real-estate data. According to JT Graham, a John Burns analyst who attended an April conference of the SFR lobbying group National Home Rental Council, the buzzword there was "patience." For those that do make the trip, they can console themselves that the industry's fundamentals are strong enough to offset headwinds such as soaring taxes and slowing rent growth, John Burns analysts said. They're also able to absorb defaults and vacancies in the way small landlords can't as their costs increase.

☆ New home construction rose in April after a dip in March
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

However, housing starts, a measure of new home construction, were down 22.3% from a year ago, according to data released Wednesday by the Census Bureau. After surging in February following five consecutive months of falling, housing starts fell in March. Single‐family housing starts in April rose 1.6% from the revised March figure, at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 833,000. Building permits, which track the number of new housing units granted permits, fell in April after also dropping in March. Building permits were down in the Northeast and Midwest, but climbed in the South and West.

☆ New home sales rise for the fourth month in a row
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Washington, DC CNN —New home sales rose in March, climbing for the fourth month in a row as mortgage rates eased and buyers looked to new construction as an alternative to the tight inventory of existing homes for sale. Sales of new single‐family houses were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 683,000, up from a revised 623,000 in February. After climbing through much of February, mortgage rates were as high as 6.73% March. In a bit of a setback for buyers, prices of new homes rose from February, the report showed. This is a supply of 7.6 months at the current sales pace, down from 8.2 months of supply last month.

☆ New home starts pull back in March
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Housing starts, a measure of new home construction, was down 17.2% from a year ago, according to data released Thursday by the Census Bureau. After surging in February following five consecutive months of falling, March housing starts fell to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.420 million, down from the revised February estimate of 1.432 million. Single‐family housing starts in March rose 2.7% from the revised February figure, at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 861,000. Housing starts had big drops in May and July last year, when spiking mortgage rates pushed many prospective home buyers to the sidelines. Starts bounced back slightly in August, but fell through January.

☆ New home sales rose for the third month in a row
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Washington, DC CNN —New home sales rose in February, climbing for the third month in a row as mortgage rates eased off their highs of the past year and buyers looked to new construction amid historically low inventory of existing homes for sale. Sales of new single‐family houses were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 640,000, up from a revised 633,000 in January. In a bit of a setback for buyers, prices of new homes rose from January. The median price for a new home rose to $438,200 in February, up from $427,500 the previous month. This is a supply of 8.2 months at the current sales rate.

☆ US home building surged in February
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Anna Bahney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington, DC CNN —US home building jumped higher in February, turning around after five consecutive months of falling. As mortgage rates trended lower from November through January, builders have begun to feel more optimistic that conditions may improve in 2023. But recent strong economic data and uncertainty in the banking sector mean that inflation concerns remain, along with volatile mortgage rates. In February building permits were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.524 million. “However, interest rates and development costs remain high, while prices are softening — which is impacting the potential upside on home sales.”And mortgage rates remain volatile for buyers.

☆ Mortgage demand rises despite volatile interest rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Demand for mortgages increased for the second straight week, despite some volatility in mortgage rates. That was the average, but mortgage rates were largely higher for most of the week before dropping sharply Friday on news of the Silicon Valley Bank failure. Despite rates being higher, mortgage applications to purchase a home rose 7% for the week but were still 38% lower than the same week a year ago. "That always happens when rates surge and it only lasts a few weeks," said John Burns of John Burns Real Estate Consulting, who said he saw an increase in sales of newly built homes in February despite higher rates. Mortgage rates dropped further Monday, according to a separate survey from Mortgage News Daily, but bounced higher again Tuesday after the February consumer price index was released, suggesting that the Federal Reserve may raise interest rates again next week despite recent banking industry turmoil.

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