Builder Confidence Holds Steady After Recovering From 2018 Lows; Rates Hold 14-Month Lows

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) held steady in March , after partially recovering from substantial loses at the end of 2018. The Index, a measure of new-home builders' confidence in the market for newly constructed homes was unchanged at 62 on a 100-point scale. The index finished 2018 at 56, a more than three-year low, after dropping an aggregate of 12 points in November and December. NAHB says affordability still remains a key concern for builders. The skilled worker shortage, lack of buildable lots and stiff zoning restrictions in many major metro markets are among the challenges builders face as they strive to construct homes that can sell at affordable price points. Derived from a monthly survey that NAHB has been conducting for 30

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http://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/reports/newsletter/2019/3/18/3834