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Slightly Better Sales Conditions Lift Builder Confidence in July
A slight improvement in sales conditions helped nudge builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes up two points to its highest level since September 2008, according to the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), released on July 16.
The HMI rose two points to 17 in July as builders saw an improvement in current sales conditions but continued to express concerns about the future.
“Builders are seeing slightly better sales conditions this month as consumers take advantage of the first-time buyer tax credit, low interest rates and attractive home prices, but many remain quite concerned about the road that lies ahead,” said NAHB Chairman Joe Robson. “A true recovery in the housing market and overall economy cannot take place until the continuing foreclosure crisis is abated and a decent flow of credit is restored to housing production. Meanwhile, the stalled jobs market is a major concern to builders and potential home buyers alike.”
“Although today’s HMI is positive news that helps confirm the market is bouncing around a bottom, the gain was entirely contained in the component gauging current sales conditions, while the component gauging sales expectations for the next six months remained virtually flat for a fourth consecutive month,” said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. “Builders recognize the recovery is going to be a slow one and that we are facing a number of substantial negative forces.”
For example, said Crowe, a quarter of all new-home sales are falling through due to appraisal issues that are tied to the use of distressed and foreclosed properties as comps.
“This is a tremendous obstacle for a housing market that is struggling to get back on its feet, as is the lack of available credit for acquisition, development and construction financing,” he said.
Derived from a monthly survey that NAHB has been conducting for more than 20 years, the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index gauges builder perceptions of current single-family home sales, sales expectations for the next six months and traffic of prospective buyers. Scores for each component are then used to calculate a seasonally adjusted index where any number over 50 indicates that more builders view sales conditions as good than poor.
Two of the three HMI component indexes posted gains in July. The index gauging current sales conditions rose three points to 17, while the index gauging traffic of prospective buyers rose a single point to 14. Meanwhile, the index gauging sales expectations for the next six months remained flat at 26.
Regionally, the South posted the biggest HMI gain, with a five-point increase to 20. The Northeast posted a three-point decline, to 16, while the Midwest and West were each unchanged, at 14 and 15, respectively.
 Tax Credit Web Site Looks at Opportunity of a Lifetime
Builders and other industry professionals can help spur home sales by referring prospective first-time home buyers to www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com. The NAHB Web site provides detailed information on the $8,000 federal tax credit for first-time home buyers included in the economic stimulus legislation signed into law by President Obama.
Consumers can use the Web site to find information on the tax credit — including a detailed question and answer section. It also includes information about other housing-related and small business measures in the legislation and a number of home-buying resources for consumers.
Spanish Version Also Available Online
A Spanish version of this increasingly popular Web site is also available to provide detailed information on the tax credit to Spanish-speaking first-time home buyers.
Industry professionals are encouraged to highlight either tax credit Web site when marketing to their potential first-time home buyer market.
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