Housing starts in April dropped 16.5 percent month-over-month to 853,000, according to seasonally adjusted numbers released today by the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Year-over-year, housing starts rose 13.1 percent. [more]

Confidence among U.S. builders is down for the second consecutive month, as a shortage of construction sites plagues the industry, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing figures from the National Association of Home Builders. [more]

Builders are increasingly bullish about the newly built single-family home market, according to the latest National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index. The index of builder confidence rose for the eighth consecutive month, and its current level of 47 is the highest it’s been since April 2006. The trend is indicative of the gradual recovery of the nationwide housing market, said David Crowe, NAHB’s chief economist, “that we expect to continue in 2013.” Scores above 50 represent positive builder sentiments on the scale, which spans 1-100. [more]

A home under construction

Builder confidence for newly built, single-family homes posted its seventh consecutive monthly gain in November, according to the National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo. The November score comes in at 46, marking the U.S. housing market index’s highest point reached since May 2006. Scores above the 50 mark denote positive builder sentiments on the 1-100 scale.

According to CNBC, builder confidence, along with home sales figures, shows that the housing market recovery is both real and strengthening (see video after the jump)…. [more]

Builder confidence for newly built, single-family homes posted its sixth consecutive increase, a one-point month-over-month gain, according to the National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo. The gain brings the index to 41 from 40, which continues keeping the score at its strongest level since June 2006.

September posted a three-point gain and August posted a two-point increase. In July, there was a six-point spike. [more]

Building on recent momentum, builder confidence for newly built, single-family homes gained two points from last month’s tally, reaching a total of 37, according to the National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo. The new number comes on the heels of July’s six-point climb — the largest gain in more than a decade — and brings the index to its highest level since February 2007.

Every Housing Market Index component saw gains this month. Current sales conditions and traffic of prospective buyers posted respective three-point gains to 39 and 31; sales expectations for the next six months crawled up one point to 44. [more]

Recent data has sparked growing belief that the housing market is recovering, but according to Bloomberg News, the economy is faltering, and for a third consecutive year that could slow momentum in the housing market.

Housing starts increased by 4.7 percent in June, and home builder confidence grew at the fastest clip in nearly a decade, according to the National Association of Home Builders. Meanwhile, the National Association of Realtors reported that home affordability reached a record high earlier this year. [more]

Construction workers apparently have reason for optimism. Builder confidence for newly built, single-family homes has risen a total of six points this month, bringing the total to 35 — the largest one-month gain in more than a decade and the highest level since March 2007, according to a press release issued today by the National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo.

Scores above 50 represent positive sentiments on the 1–100 scale. Still, the July number follows a series of upticks. As The Real Deal previously reported, builder confidence reached 29 in May — a 4-point rise from April. June also came in at 29. [more]

Single-family home builder confidence soared five points in May to its highest level in exactly five years, according to today’s National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index. After briefly stumbling in April for the first time in seven months, the index continued its steady climb reaching 29. (April’s initial report of 25 was downwardly revised to 24.) [more]

The National Association of Home Builders’ National Market Index slipped for the first time in seven months, according to April numbers released today, indicating that builder confidence in new construction single-family homes nationwide has receded to January 2012 levels. In April, the housing market index fell 3 points to 25, from 28, after two months of gains. [more]