The average completion time of a single-family house in 2023 was approximately 10.1 months, the Census Bureau and NAHB reported.
Wood Markets News
Mortgage Applications Inch Higher in the Week Ending August 23rd
Mortgage loan application volume increased 0.5% on a seasonally adjusted basis from one week earlier, MBA reported.
Wet Weather and Cooler Temperatures in BC Help Reduce Wildfires
About 280 blazes remain active across the province with 15%—or just over 40—of those fires classified as burning out of control, The Canadian Press reported.
Typical US Homebuyer’s Down Payment Hits Record High in June
The typical down payment for US homebuyers hit a record high of $67,500 in June, up 14.8% from $58,788 a year earlier, Redfin reported.
Timberlab Reveals Plans for Philomath, OR, Sawmill Recently Purchased From Interfor
The Philomath, Oregon, sawmill and planing mill formerly owned by Interfor that closed earlier this year will survive to see another day following its acquisition by Timberlab, Philomath News reported.
FHFA Home Price Index Declines 0.1% Month-Over-Month in June
The FHFA Home Price Index showed US house prices, seasonally adjusted, were down 0.1% month-over-month in June.
Stora Enso Suspends Harvesting in All Areas in Finland Where Restrictions Under the Water, Forest, or Nature Conservation Acts Are in Place
Stora Enso announced that an environmental violation that was discovered at a Stora Enso harvesting site on August 15th in Kainuu, Finland. The violation is being investigated as a serious nature conservation crime.
The Conference Board US Consumer Confidence Index Increases in August
The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® increased to a reading of 103.3 in August, up from a revised reading of 101.9 in July.
S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Index Reports 5.4% Annual Home Price Gain in June
The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller US National Home Price NSA Index posted an annual gain of 5.4% in June, down from a 5.9% in May.
Exports of Southern Pine Lumber Up 20% Year-Over-Year in First Half of 2024
Exports of Southern pine lumber (both treated and untreated) are running 20% ahead of 2023 through the first half of 2024, the USDA and SFPA reported.