Census Bureau Archives

Garage Data Shows Us Where We Park It

Having a car isn’t really a choice for a lot of Americans – and even some of us that are lucky enough to choose whether or not to have a car decide to have one. Put simply, cars are a fact of life for most us. So it comes as no surprise that an analysis of Census Bureau construction data done by the National Association of Home Builders found that an increasing number of new homes have garages and the size of those garages is also on the rise. For example, the share of homes with a three or more car garage jumped from 11 percent in 1992 to 20 percent in 2005. And, in the past decade, new homes built without a garage have become almost non-existent. Robert Dietz, NAHB’s chief economist and senior vice president for economics and housing policy, breaks down the numbers in a recent article. “For new single-family completions in 2015, 61 percent of homes offered a two-car garage,” Dietz writes. “Another 24 percent of homes possessed a garage large enough to hold three or more cars. Just 6 percent of newly-built homes had a one-car garage, and only 1 percent possessed a carport. Another 9 percent of new homes had no garage or carport.” Additionally, of the 9 percent of homes without a garage, 23 percent were townhomes. More here.

New Home Sales Fall After Spiking In July

Sales of newly built, single-family homes fell in August after rising to the fastest sales pace in 9 years the month before. The data, released by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, shows new home sales down 7.6 percent month-over-month, though they remain nearly 21 percent higher than last year. But though the monthly decline may seem like a setback, there are a number of encouraging signs in the report for prospective home buyers. For starters, the number of new homes on the market rose nearly 2 percent last month. With inventory low, an increasing number of new homes available for sale is a promising sign, especially when combined with the fact that building permits also rose in August. That may indicate future gains to inventory levels across the country. And, with rising inventory, price increases should begin to moderate. For example, this month’s report shows the median price for a new home fell 5.4 percent from one year ago. In fact, the median sales price of new homes sold in August was $284,000; the average sales price was $353,600. Also in the report, new home sales were down sharply in the Northeast and South. The West saw an 8 percent increase and the Midwest fell 2.4 percent. More here.

Permits To Build New Homes On The Rise

New numbers released by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development show the number of authorized permits to build single-family homes rose 3.7 percent in August. That encouraging news was the bright spot in an otherwise lackluster August residential construction report. However, because permits are generally a good indicator of future activity, the rise in single-family authorizations could be a good sign for future new home construction. And, because new home construction helps balance the market, that could be good news for home buyers in the months ahead. Still, August’s numbers were lower than expected. In fact, overall housing starts – which refer to the number of homes that broke ground – fell 5.8 percent, largely due to a significant drop in construction in the South. The Northeast, West, and Midwest, on the other hand, all saw gains. New home construction is particularly important right now because many markets are suffering from a lower-than-usual number of homes for sale. Without a significant boost, low inventory will continue to push prices higher while limiting the number of homes prospective buyers have to choose from. Fortunately, buyer demand has remained high so far this year, mostly because low mortgage rates and rising incomes have helped offset the upward pressure on prices caused by limited inventory. More here.

Sales Of New Homes Surge In July

New numbers released by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development show sales of new single-family houses up 12.4 percent in July from the month before. The improvement puts new home sales at a nine-year high. Rebounding strength in the housing market has analysts optimistic about the future. Millan Mulraine, deputy chief economist at TD Securities in New York, told Reuters that the residential real estate market is now one of the economy’s strongest sectors. “A very rosy picture is beginning to emerge on the housing market, pointing to sustained buoyancy in the sector’s recovery, which remains one of the few bright spots for the U.S. economy,” Mulraine said. But though sales have been strong, the number of homes being built still lags behind other housing measures, which tempers some of the optimism surrounding this year’s solid sales performance. Still, July’s gain pushed new home sales 31.3 percent higher than they were at the same time last year and beat economists’ expectations by nearly 75,000. Economists surveyed prior to the release forecast sales to fall in July. Also in the report, the median sales price of new houses sold in July was $294,600; the average sales price was $355,800. More here.

The Typical New Home Is Getting Smaller

Historically, buyers at the higher end of the housing market rebound more quickly from a recession than the average home buyer – who may have to watch their money more closely during rough economic times. Because of this, the typical new house has been growing larger ever since the housing crash and most recent recession. However, according to a new analysis from the National Association of Home Builders of numbers from the Census Bureau’s Quarterly Starts and Completions By Purpose and Design report shows a slight decline in both the average and median square footage for new homes built during the second quarter of this year. And though the decline was small and the typical new home remains large by historical standards, analysts see it as the start of a trend downward for new home size. This is encouraging news for buyers as there has been a lack of entry-level new homes available for sale on the market. And, since for-sale inventory is low, any increase in the number of homes available to the average home buyer is good for balancing the market, reducing price increases, and boosting the number of first-time home buyers active in the market. More here.

Number Of New Homes Being Built Rises

The number of new homes that broke ground during the month of July increased from the month before, according to new numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Housing starts were up 2.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual pace of 1.21 million units, the highest level since February. Economists expected starts to fall to a 1.18 million-unit pace. July’s improvement not only beat economists’ expectations but is also welcome news for home buyers. That’s because any increase in the number of new homes being built adds for-sale inventory and helps moderate price increases and balance the market. Much of the concern about the current housing market revolves around the fact that the number of homes available for sale is lower than usual and hasn’t been keeping up with buyer demand. When there are more home buyers than there are homes available for sale, home prices rise. And, though current homeowners putting their homes up for sale can help boost inventory, new home construction is vital. Regionally, home building activity was strongest in the South and West. The Northeast and Midwest, on the other hand, both saw declines. More here.

Survey Says Many Boomers Would Like To Move

During their lifetime, the typical American will move 11 times, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In fact, by age 30, the average person will have changed addresses six times already. But what about older Americans? Well according to a recent survey from Freddie Mac, there are a lot of Americans age 55 and older who say they’d like to move at least one more time. Among survey respondents, 63 percent said they’d prefer to age in place but nearly 40 percent said they’d like to move. Dave Lowman, Freddie Mac’s executive vice president of single-family business, says the way we age has changed and it could have a significant impact on housing trends in the future. “Consider that at age 55, our grandparents started moving to retirement and senior living communities,” Lowman writes. “By contrast, todays’ baby boomers are a vibrant, confident generation who are living longer and are definitely on the move.” Among the top factors influencing whether or not to move, older Americans named affordability, amenities, and less maintenance as their highest priorities. Other factors included living closer to other family members, downsizing, warmer weather, and living somewhere that is walkable and has access to public transportation. More here.

New Home Sales Up 25% Over Last Year

In June, sales of newly built, single-family homes reached their highest level since 2008, according to new numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The 3.5 percent increase from May puts new home sales 25.4 percent higher than they were at the same time last year. Combined with increasing sales of previously owned homes and a bump in residential construction, the improvement indicates the housing market is gaining strength. In fact, not only were June’s figures higher than economists’ expected, May’s estimate was revised upward as well. However, despite the encouraging news, a closer look at the numbers shows the gains were not evenly distributed throughout the country. For example, the Midwest and West both saw increases of just over 10 percent. On the other hand, the Northeast fell 5.6 percent and the South was basically flat from the month before. Also in the report, the median price for a new home rose 6.1 percent from last year. The median sales price in June was $306,700; the average price was $358,200. But though prices were up, so was inventory. The number of new homes available for sale increased 1.2 percent over the month before. More here.

New Home Construction Jumps In June

As a home buyer or seller, new residential construction numbers may not seem like they have a whole lot to do with you. But, at a time when there are more buyers than there are homes available for sale, the pace of new home construction has a significant impact on home prices – which are most likely very important to you. In today’s market, for example, home prices are increasing in many areas due to the fact that there is more demand than there is supply. When there are fewer homes for sale, home prices rise as competition among buyers increases. As new homes are built, however, those price increases will begin to moderate and buyers will have more options to choose from. For that reason, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s New Residential Construction report is widely cited as a good barometer of the housing market’s health. According to the most recent report, new home construction rose more than economists’ expected in June. In fact, the number of single-family homes that began construction during the month was 4.4 percent higher than the month before. The improvement was largely due to a 46.3 percent spike in the Northeast and a 17.4 percent pickup in the West. Also in the report, building permits – which are a good indication of future housing starts – rose 1 percent from May. More here.

Sales Of Newly Built Homes Fall In May

New home sales fell in May, according to new numbers released jointly by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. After soaring to an 8-year high the month before, sales dropped lower than economists expected, falling 6 percent from April. But despite the decline, sales remain 8.7 percent above last year’s level. Regionally speaking, the report showed significant differences between sales in some parts of the country compared to others. For example, new home sales tumbled 33 percent in the Northeast, while gaining 12.9 percent in the Midwest. The South, on the other hand, was nearly unchanged from the previous month and the West saw a double-digit decline. Also in the report, the median price of a new home rose to $290,400; the average price was $358,900. In recent years, both new home sales and construction have shown great improvement. Much of that improvement has taken place at the higher end of the market, however, raising the price of a typical new home. An increase in the number of new homes built at affordable prices would be good news for the overall market, as it would help relieve upward pressure on prices while providing home buyers with more choices. More here.