The number of new home started nationwide in December fell 4.1 percent from November, according to construction data released today by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Still, builders are optimistic following the release because housing starts on single-family homes rose 4.4 percent from the previous month. [more]

Home builder confidence rose to its highest level since before Lehman’s collapse, according to the National Association of Home Builders Housing Market Index, released today. The renewed sense of confidence isn’t purely a result of the new year — in fact builder confidence has increased for four consecutive months. [more]

National builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes increased by 2 points to 21 on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index for December, released today, marking a third consecutive month in which builder confidence has improved. Confidence was higher than it has been since May 2010, according to the report.

Despite overall gains in confidence however, confidence dropped in Northeast, slipping by one point to 15. Gains were primarily made in the South in December, where a 4-point gain to 25 brought that region’s Housing Market Index score to its highest level since March of 2008. A 1-point gain to 16 was registered in the West, while the Midwest was unchanged at 24. – Katherine Clarke [more]

The bi-partisan proposal in Congress last week to hike fees charged by mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is a “short-sighted,” “counterproductive” threat to the fragile housing recovery and not how the funds were intended to be used, Bob Nielsen, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders and a home builder with Reno-based Shelter Properties, said in a statement today.

The proposal would raise the guarantee fees charged by Fannie and Freddie each time a mortgage is originated. As Fannie and Freddie re-package and sell securitized loans to investors, those fees cover the risk that borrowers will default.

“Congress is tampering with g-fees and needlessly raising the cost of buying a home,” Nielsen said. “This will jeopardize the tenuous rebound and is the last thing this economy needs.” – Guelda Voien [more]

Nationwide housing starts dropped by 5 percent in August to 571,000 units from a month previous, according to figures released today by the U.S. Commerce Department. The decline was primarily related to multi-family properties, the report notes, with single-family housing production declining by only 1.4 percent.

“At this point, most builders are only looking to replenish their depleted inventories of new homes for sale, but otherwise holding off on new projects,” said Bob Nielsen, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders. “While we would like to get more crews back on the job, we need to see solid improvement in consumer demand, greater access to credit for both builders and buyers, and a reduction in the number of foreclosed properties on the market before we can ramp up new production.”
– Katherine Clarke [more]

Following a slight uptick in July, builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes remained unchanged in August, according to the National Association of Home Builders’ Housing Market Index, released today. In a survey of builder perceptions for home sales expectations over the next six months, where any number greater than 50 means more builders view conditions as good than poor, the index remained at 15. It has stood between 13 and 17 in each month since June 2010.

Continued competition from foreclosed homes on the market, inaccurate appraisals, tight credit and an especially uncertain economic climate contributed to another month of dismal confidence, Bob Nielsen, chairman of NAHB, said.
– Adam Fusfeld [more]

After a doom-and-gloom June, confidence rose slightly among U.S. home builders in July, according to a report released today by the National Association of Home Builders. The Housing Market Index, which gauges builder perception of the single-family market, rose 2 points to 15, but remains far below 50, the number indicating a positive outlook.

The index has hovered between 13 and 17 in every month since June 2010, and last exceeded 50 in April 2006. Bob Nielsen, chairman of the association, attributed another month of low confidence levels among home builders to the competition from low-priced foreclosed properties, inaccurate appraisals of new homes and the restrictive lending environment. – Adam Fusfeld [more]

Slumping prices of existing houses and rising material costs pushed the confidence of builders constructing new single-family homes nationwide down to its lowest level since September 2010, according to the National Association of Home Builders. In a report released today, the organization found that the confidence level was 13, where any number greater than 50 indicates more builders view conditions positively. The report also measured 2-point drops in its gauge of current sales conditions (13) and traffic of prospective buyers (12). The numbers are derived from a survey that asks builders to rate the single-family home sales market, and their expectations over the next six months. The northeast was the only region to post gains in its confidence score, as it rose 2 points to 17. TRD

Confidence in the housing market amongst builders fell in April, according to the latest data from the National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo. Builders’ confidence had risen 1 point in March after four straight months of holding steady, but last month returned to its original, lower level, the NAHB said today. Builders of new, single-family homes are seeing a slow start to the spring home buying season, the trade organization said: there’s more traffic, but buyers are still wary of the strength of the recovery. TRD [more]

You may have seen reports that the federal government is proposing new mortgage finance rules under which only home purchasers who can afford a minimum 20 percent down payment on a conventional loan would get a shot at the best available interest rates and terms.

That is correct, and it’s deeply sobering news for large numbers of first-time and moderate-income buyers who can’t come up with that much cash or afford to pay higher rates.

But some of the other requirements that federal agencies and the Obama administration are proposing in the same plan have gotten much less attention, yet could prove just as troublesome for consumers: [more]