- Volume of Residential Construction Loans Falls in Q4 2024by Jesse Wade on March 21, 2025
Higher interest rates and tight financial lending conditions have led to a decline in loans for new home construction. The total volume of acquisition, development, and construction (AD&C) loans outstanding from FDIC-insured institutions fell 1.02% to $490.7 billion, the third straight […]
- Existing Home Sales Increased in Februaryby Fan-Yu Kuo on March 20, 2025
Existing home sales in February increased to the second highest level since March 2024, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). This rebound suggests buyers are slowly entering the market as inventory improves and mortgage rates decline from recent high in January. Despite rates […]
- Fed Remains in Wait and See Modeby Robert Dietz on March 19, 2025
In a widely anticipated move, the Federal Reserve remained on pause with respect to rate cuts at the conclusion of its March meeting, maintaining the federal funds rate in the 4.25% to 4.5% range. While the central bank acknowledged that the economy remains solid, it emphasized a data- and […]
- U.S. Sawmill Production Capacity Constant in 2024by Jesse Wade on March 19, 2025
Sawmill and wood preservation firms reported lower capacity utilization rates coupled with level production and capacity throughout 2024. Despite no growth in production in 2024, utilization rates have trended downwards since 2017 as sawmills have expanded production capability. Even with more […]
- Single-Family Housing Starts Hit 12-Month High in Februaryby Jing Fu on March 18, 2025
Limited existing inventory helped single-family starts to post a solid gain in February, but builders are still grappling with elevated construction costs stemming from tariff issues and persistent shortages related to buildable lots and labor. Overall housing starts increased 11.2% in February to […]