Homebuilders

Even though the price of softwood lumber has climbed up by more than 7% in the last three months, it sits 21% below its level from a year ago.

The May uptick in nonbank housing-finance payrolls came almost entirely from lender hiring as loan broker numbers plateaued and construction demand persisted.

However, as it currently stands, most measures suggest "the market does not have a path to close the housing deficit in the near-term," Citigroup said. 

With new construction activity at the highest level in more than a year, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta's GDPNow tracker is projecting residential investment added 0.1% to growth in gross domestic product in the second quarter.

Prospective borrowers are flocking to newly built properties as current homeowners shy away from listings due to high mortgage rates.

Applications to build increased, suggesting residential construction is on track to help fuel economic growth.

With spring selling season typically giving way to a slower summer, investors are focused on whether resilient buyer demand, solid home prices and a potential Fed pause will support further homebuilder outperformance through the end of this year.

Construction activity in smaller cities also saw a significant annual decline, according to the National Association of Home Builders.

Purchases of new single-family homes increased 4.1% to an annualized 683,000 pace last month from a downwardly revised 656,000 rate in March, government data showed Tuesday.

The Mortgage Bankers Association sees the likelihood of a rise in sales activity later this year based on recent construction trends, in a turnaround from the 2022 market.

After dropping to a low of more than 40% last year, the recent rally in homebuilders represents a massive rebound from last June's slump and a testament to what appears to be a gradual recovery in home construction. 

Beginning home construction rose 2.2% to a 1.4 million annualized rate, according to government data released Wednesday.

An index tracking the industry is up 28% so far this year coming off of one of its worst years since 2018.

Fannie Mae researchers found housing costs decelerating for the fourth straight quarter, but limited inventory may be driving hopeful buyers to look for opportunities in the new-construction market.

Homebuilders are rising as much as 1.7% Tuesday after data showed previously owned home sales snapped a yearlong slide, rising in February by the most since mid-2020. 

Residential starts rose 9.8% last month to a 1.45 million annualized rate, the fastest in five months, according to government data released Thursday

The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo gauge rose 2 points this month to a six-month high of 44, figures showed Wednesday.

The CFPB is requesting input on adding specifications that are intended to alleviate TRID compliance concerns on construction-to-permanent single-close loans and those requiring separate construction and home loan closings.

The increase in sentiment to a five-month high was fueled by more optimism about sales, the outlook and a pickup in prospective-buyer traffic.

Interest rates and inflation are at the top of the list of problems facing the industry, but attracting consumers under current market conditions has become more concerning, according to the National Association of Home Builders.