Wood Markets News


Multifamily Condo Construction Projects Increased Modestly in Q3 2021

According to the latest quarterly U.S. Census Bureau data, with further analysis provided by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the market share of rental units of multifamily construction starts declined to a reading of 93.4% in Q3 2021. This is the lowest share since Q1 2020. From a historical perspective, the lowest share of 47% was set during Q3 of 2005 during the condo building boom.

Home Value Appreciation Slows for Third Consecutive Month in October

Home value appreciation slowed for the third consecutive month in October 2021, according to Zillow’s latest Home Value Index (ZHVI). However, home values rose 1.3% above September, slower than the all-time high monthly appreciation of 2% in July 2021. Zillow has found that the typical home value in the U.S. is now up to $312,728.

Biden Administration Proposes Reinstatement of Ban on Roads in Alaska’s Tongass National Forest

The fight over whether or not to ban roads on the more than 9 million acres of Alaska’s Tongass National Forest has been ongoing on for over 20 years. The Biden administration plans on settling that question once and for all. The restrictions had managed to stay in place for years through a series of court battles; however, the Trump administration reversed those legal decisions.

Auburn University Faculty and Fellow Scientists Look at 3-D Printing as an Option to Address Lack of Affordable Rural Housing

Several Auburn University faculty members and fellow scientists will be joining in an interdisciplinary project to address the hard-hitting reality that affordable housing is out of the reach of many Americans living in rural areas. The study, which spans the disciplines of engineering, chemistry, forest resources and architecture, also draws strongly upon the expertise of scientists at its partner institution, the University of Idaho.

Home Purchasing Demand Continues to Soar to New Record Highs

Redfin, the Seattle-based, technology-based real estate brokerage, is reporting that their Redfin Homebuyer Demand Index (HDI) for the week ending November 14, 2021 hit a new all-time high since at least 2017. The HDI is a seasonally adjusted measure of requests for home tours and other home-buying services.

Single-Family Home Sizes Continue to Grow Larger

According to Q3 2021 data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Quarterly Starts and Completion by Purpose and Design, with further analysis provided by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the median single-family homes’ livable space increased to 2,337 square feet. The average (mean) square footage of a new-single-family homes increased to 2,541 square feet.

Flood-Damaged Rail Lines in Vancouver and Southern B.C. Expected to Remain Impassable for Days

The rail lines that link Vancouver, B.C. and the southern part of British Columbia with the rest of Canada are flood-damaged and expected to be impassable for days. The rail lines owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. and the Canadian National Railway Co. run along the Fraser River, which went over its banks and cut off roads, bridges, and tracks in this week’s heavy rain and flooding.