Marketing & Statistics

Following the highest average year for the index in nearly a decade1, pending home sales declined to begin 2016 but remained slightly higher than a year ago, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Only the South saw an uptick in contract activity in January.

Markets in 117 of the approximately 340 metro areas nationwide returned to or exceeded their last normal levels of economic and housing activity in the fourth quarter of 2015, according to the National Association of Home Builders/First American Leading Markets Index (LMI) released today. This represents a year-over-year net gain of 52 markets.

Mortgage applications decreased 4.3 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending February 19, 2016. This week's results include an adjustment to account for the President's Day holiday

Sales of newly built, single-family homes dropped 9.2 percent in January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 494,000 units, according to newly released data by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau

As part of the Obama Administration’s efforts to cut energy waste in the nation’s buildings, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today recognized the city of West Palm Beach for their leadership in improving energy efficiency across 1.4 million square feet of building space by 20 percent within 10 years. The city of West Palm Beach has met their Better Buildings Challenge goal of 20 percent energy reduction and today Mayor Jeri Muoio is announcing a new 15 percent energy reduction goal for 2025

Existing-home sales crept forward in January to the highest annual rate in six months, and subpar supply levels propelled price growth to the fastest increase since last April, according to the National Association of Realtors®. The West was the only region to see a decline in sales in January.

Nationwide housing starts dropped 3.8 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.099 million units in January, according to newly released data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Commerce Department. Overall permit issuance edged down 0.2 percent

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) Builder Application Survey (BAS) data for January 2016 shows mortgage applications for new home purchases increased by 14 percent relative to the previous month. This change does not include any adjustment for typical seasonal patterns.

Mortgage applications increased 9.3 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending February 5,

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the award of $12.7 million in grants to help small drinking and wastewater systems and private well owners located in urban and rural communities throughout the U.S. and its territories. The water systems will receive training and technical assistance to improve small system operations and management practices, promote system sustainability, and better protect public health and the environment.

Mortgage credit availability decreased in January according to the Mortgage Credit Availability Index (MCAI), a report from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) which analyzes data from Ellie Mae's AllRegs® Market Clarity® business information tool.

Commercial and multifamily mortgage originations increased 35 percent between the third and the fourth quarters of 2015, and were up 19 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2014, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Quarterly Survey of Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Bankers Originations. MBA's commercial/multifamily mortgage bankers' originations index provides a preliminary estimate that originations for the full year 2015 were 24 percent higher than in 2014.

Mortgage applications increased 8.8 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending January 22, 2016. This week's results include an adjustment to account for the Martin Luther King holiday

Sales of newly built, single-family homes rose 14.5 percent to 501,000 units in 2015, the highest level since 2007, according to newly released data from HUD and the U.S. Census Bureau. Meanwhile, sales in December increased 10.8 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 544,000 from an upwardly revised November reading.

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) Builder Application Survey (BAS) data for December 2015 shows mortgage applications for new home purchases decreased by 5 percent relative to the previous month. This change does not include any adjustment for typical seasonal patterns.

Mortgage applications increased 9.0 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association's (MBA) Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending January 15, 2016.

Residential housing starts will be on the increase in 2015 according to the Portland Cement Association (PCA). During the 2015 International Builders' Show, PCA Chief Economist and Group Vice-President Edward J. Sullivan announced that housing starts will increase 20 percent to 1.2 million units in 2015.

Construction firms added 45,000 workers in December as the industry's unemployment rate declined to 7.5 percent from 8.3 a year ago, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that the robust job gains come as a new industry outlook shows most firms expect to expand their headcount in 2016 amid growing private and public sector demand

Members of the CCIM Institute, Commercial Real Estate's Global Standard for Professional Achievement, indicated strong investor interest in all property transactions, according to the organization's 4Q15 Quarterly Market Trends report. More than half of CCIM members who participated in an October/November 2015 market intelligence survey reported participation in more deals year over year, with 69 percent reporting that they closed a sales transaction during the previous quarter