Wood Markets News


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.

Custom Home Building Gains in Q3 — Best Since Spring 2008

Data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Quarterly Starts and Completions by Purpose and Design, with further analysis provided by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), reveals that custom home building (homes not intended for sale) in Q3 2021 matched the best quarter for construction starts since the spring of 2008.

Construction Loan Rates Move Higher as Loan Availability Improves

According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Survey on Acquisition, Development & Construction (ADS&C) in Q3 2021, the effective interest rates increased in all four categories of loans tracked. The Q3 results reversed a general downward trend that has been ongoing since Q3 of 2020.

Homes Sales Experience Unusual 6.4% Decline in October

According to the RE/MAX National Housing Report for October 2021, which was released on Thursday (11-18-21), home sales fell -6.4% from September’s totals — nearly double the typical seasonal decline. The report notes that in the month of September home sales experienced near-record sales levels, which certainly contributed to the month-over-month decline.

New Production and Current Occupancy Rates in Existing Multifamily Housing Set Record Highs in Q3 2021

According to the latest National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Multifamily Market Survey (MMS), sentiment on the production of new and occupancy in existing multifamily housing improved in Q3. The Multifamily Production Index (MPI) increased 5 points from the previous quarter to a reading of 53, while the Multifamily Occupancy Index (MOI) also increased by 5 point to a reading of 75.