RE/MAX of Greensboro & PartnersRE/MAX of Greensboro & Partners

Triad Real Estate: Greensboro, High Point, Kernersville, Winston Salem

RE/MAX Partners: 336.854.2400
RE/MAX of Greensboro: 336.854.0500
My Account Login | Register
  • Menu
  • Home
  • Search Homes For Sale
  • Home Valuation
  • Meet Our Agents
  • the Blog
  • Join RE/MAX
  • Contact Us

Housing Market Index Shows Builder Confidence Up 23 Percent Year-Over-Year

Housing Market Index Shows Builder Confidence Up 23 Percent Year- Over- Year According to the National Association of Homebuilders/Wells Fargo Homebuilders Market Index for December, builder confidence recovered in with a reading of 58. This surpassed both expectations of 56 and last month’s reading of 54.

Analysts noted that builder confidence has steadied after the government shutdown. December’s reading was the highest in four months. Dave Crowe, NAHB chief economist, said that his organization was expecting a “gradual improvement in the housing recovery” in 2014.

Any reading above 50 indicates that more builders are confident about overall housing market conditions than not.

Builder Confidence – Highest Reading Since 2005

Pent-up demand for housing is driving housing markets in spite of higher mortgage rates. Three components of builder confidence used to calculate the overall reading also rose in December. Builder confidence in current home sales rose to 64 from a reading of 58 in November; this is the highest reading since 2005.

Confidence levels in housing markets over the next six months rose to 62 from last month’s reading of 60. Builder confidence also grew in the area of buyer foot traffic in new developments and gained three points to a reading of 44.

All of this is good news, but the NAHB said that a gap remains between higher home builder confidence and the rate of new home construction. A seasonal lull in home construction is not unusual especially in areas experiencing harsh weather.

More Jobs, Low Refinance Numbers Could Mean More Mortgages Available

MarketWatch analysts suggest that if the economy continues to add jobs “at a brisk pace” and mortgage lenders ease lending requirements next year, the demand for homes could further strengthen the U.S. housing market next year.  

Low numbers of refinance mortgages in 2013 may cause some lenders to loosen mortgage credit requirements, which were tightened after the housing bubble burst.

Economic News scheduled for today may provide a broader picture of economic health and likely trends for 2015. The Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee will provide its expected statement after its meeting, and Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke will give his last press conference as Fed chair as well.

Any indication of plans to reduce the Fed’s current quantitative easing program could upset financial and mortgage markets, but most economic analysts don’t expect an announcement of tapering the Fed’s asset purchases before next year.

Data on November Housing Starts and Building Permits will also offer clues as to how housing markets and the general economy are doing.

Posted in: Housing Analysis Tagged: Housing Analysis,Mortgage Rates,Home Builder Confidence

Quick Home Search

Post navigation

« Picking The Perfect Holiday Tree
Fed Minutes Predicts Tapering Of Quantitative Easing Program »

My Account Login

Recent Blog Posts

Home Buyer Guide - Winter 2021

Home Buyer Guide - Winter 2021 Are You Thinking About Buying a Home? The process of buying a home can be overwhelming at times, but you don’t need to go through it alone. You may be wondering … Continue reading...

The financial benefits of buying a home as compared to renting one are always up for debate. However, one element of the equation is often ignored – the ability to build wealth as a homeowner. Most … Continue reading...

One of the biggest hurdles homebuyers face is saving for a down payment. As you’re budgeting and planning for your home purchase, you’ll want to understand how much you’ll need to put down and how … Continue reading...

Some Highlights There’s no doubt about it: homeowners love their homes, and that feeling has become even more important over the past year. The vast majority of homeowners say they’re emotionally … Continue reading...

Search The Blog

Search for:

News, Tips & Advice

  • Around The Home (272)
  • Baby Boomers (3)
  • Buying Myths (28)
  • Chapter 7 Bankruptcy (1)
  • Consumer Tips (1)
  • Credit Scoring (1)
  • Demographics (9)
  • Distressed Properties (15)
  • Down Payments (17)
  • Federal Reserve (29)
  • FHFA (2)
  • Financial Crisis (1)
  • Financial Reports (135)
  • First Time Home Buyers (89)
  • For Buyers (204)
  • For Sellers (181)
  • Foreclosure (1)
  • Foreclosures (15)
  • FSBOs (7)
  • Gen Z (2)
  • Generation X (3)
  • Giving Back (3)
  • Happy Thanksgiving (1)
  • Holidays (5)
  • Home Building Tips (5)
  • Home Buyer Tips (198)
  • Home Buying Tips (1)
  • Home Care (3)
  • Home Decorating (2)
  • Home Financing Tips (4)
  • Home Maintenance (1)
  • Home Mortgage (3)
  • Home Mortgage Tips (134)
  • Home Ownership (2)
  • Home Seller Tips (162)
  • Home Selling Tips (27)
  • Home Tips (1)
  • Home Values (6)
  • Homebuyer Tips (6)
  • Homeowner Tips (7)
  • Housing Analysis (184)
  • Housing Market (18)
  • Housing Market Updates (130)
  • Infographics (52)
  • Interest Rates (62)
  • Investment Properties (1)
  • Just For Fun (2)
  • Luxury Market (4)
  • Market Outlook (148)
  • Millennials (8)
  • Mortagage Tips (5)
  • Mortgage (87)
  • Mortgage Guidelines (19)
  • Mortgage Rates (150)
  • Mortgage Tips (11)
  • Move-Up Buyers (100)
  • New Construction (13)
  • News (74)
  • Personal Finance (26)
  • Pricing (70)
  • Rankings (2)
  • RE/MAX Buyer & Seller Tips (1)
  • RE/MAX of Greensboro (17)
  • Real Estate (309)
  • Real Estate 101 (10)
  • Real Estate Definitions (3)
  • Real Estate Tips (43)
  • Real Estate Trends (2)
  • Rent vs. Buy (16)
  • Selling Myths (20)
  • Selling Your Home (1)
  • Senior Market (3)
  • Short Sales (1)
  • Statistics (2)
  • Taxes (3)
  • The Economy (20)
  • Time-sensitive (7)
  • Uncategorized (6)

Home Buyer Tips

Looking For A Major Lifestyle Change? Consider Buying A ‘Micro’ Home

With the cost of a home on the rise and the concept of being sustainable becoming more popular, many people are considering moving to a smaller home to minimize their impact. It’s important, however, to consider what living small is really like before deciding that it’s the right move for you.

Around The Home

The Basic Home Security Checklist Every Home Needs

Did you realize that only around 17 percent of the homes in the United States have a security system? Leaving your residence unprotected can come back to haunt you in the future.

Home Seller Tips

Selling Your Home FHA? Learn These Tips To Ensure A Smooth Closing

Before an owner can market a property to buyers that want to use a FHA loan, he will want to familiarize himself with the FHA’s standards. FHA won’t insure loans on just any property. While their standards aren’t as stringent as they used to be, a home needs to be in relatively good condition to qualify for FHA financing.

© 2021 · Greensboro Real Estate Inc. dba RE/MAX of Greensboro & RE/MAX Partners

Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | *Affiliated Business Notice

Each Office Independently Owned and Operated.
Greensboro Real Estate Inc Supports Equal Housing Opportunity
*Affiliated Business Notice

Click for the BBB Business Review of this Real Estate in Greensboro NC
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok