The U.S. Department of Labor is reporting that an additional 837,000 Americans made their initial filing for unemployment benefits during the week ending on Saturday September 26th. An decrease of 36,000 from the previous week’s revised level.
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Total U.S. Construction Spending up Year-Over-Year 2.5% in August
The U.S. Census Bureau has announced that total construction spending during August 2020, was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 1,412.8 billion, 1.4% above the revised July estimate of $1,392.7 billion.
Canadians Remain Optimistic About Housing Even as the Second Wave of COVID-19 Starts
According to the latest Nanos Research for Bloomberg News poll, Canadians are increasingly optimistic about housing, even as the country finds itself in the grips of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
U.S. Home Prices Rose 4.8% Year-Over-Year in July
According to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index, strong homebuyer demand in July, combined with historically low mortgage interest rates propelled home prices higher in major markets across the U.S.
Mortgage Applications Decline in Week Ending September 25th, 2020
According to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Application Survey, for the week ending September 25th, 2020, the Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume, decreased -4.8% on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier.
Pending Home Sales Increase 8.8% in August – New Record High
The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) is reporting that their Pending Homes Sales Index (PHSI), which is based on signed real estate contracts, not actual closings, for existing single-family homes, condos, and co-ops, increased 8.8% in August to a reading of 132.8 – a record high.
Consumer Confidence Rebounds in September
The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index® increased in September, following a sharp decline in August. The Index now stands at 101.8 (1985=100), up from 86.3 in August.
Strong Buyer Demand in July 2020, sends National Home Price Index Values Higher
According to the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index, strong homebuyer demand in July, combined with historically low mortgage interest rates propelled home prices higher in major markets across the U.S. Nationally, home values rose 4.8% annually up from a 4.3% gain in June.
Home Listing for New Construction Dropped 4% in August
According to the latest report from Redfin, a technology-powered residential real estate company, based in Seattle Washington, new listings of newly-built homes dropped -4.1% year over year to a seasonally-adjusted rate of 74,000 in August, reversing course after a 3.8% gain in July.
Construction Employment Decreases in 39 States Year-Over-Year in August
According to the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) analysis of government data, construction employment decreased in 39 states year-over-year (YOY) between August 2019 and August 2020.