That appears to be boosting demand in the prefabricated housing market, a sector that has lost market share in the past decade. "There's going to be continued interest in prefabricated homes because it's a window to building." As of May, the most recent month for which data is available, the average price of a prefabricated home was $129,900, according to Census data. Most modular construction factories are concentrated in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, where modular market share outpaces the national average of 2%, said Devin Perry, executive director of business improvement programs at the NAHB. "This is providing opportunities for modular to grab more market share."

---

Persons: Brian Abramson, Abramson, Danushka Nanayakkara, Devin Perry, Perry, Amina Niasse, Dan Burns, Andrea Ricci Organizations: Census, Reuters, Homes, Mortgage, Association, National Association of Homebuilders, Thomson