Long Built Homes Blog

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Sales of U.S. existing homes rose 4.3% in January and inventories fell to nearly seven-year lows, as lower prices, unusually warm weather and an improving economy all lifted demand.  Read more…

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Home builder confidence in the market for new single-family homes climbed in February for the fifth straight month to reach the highest level in more than four years.  Read full story…

Respondents from a Fannie Mae National Housing Survey for January 2012 expressed expectations for home prices to increase by 1 percent over the next 12 months, and most Americans continue to expect no change in mortgage rates. Keep reading…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ghqpwid3yY

Capital Economics expects the housing crisis to end this year, according to a report released Tuesday. One of the reasons: loosening credit.  Keep reading…

Watch this short video tour of Pickerel Cove of Plymouth.

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — The National Association of Realtors on Friday said December sales rose 5% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.61 million. November sales were revised down to 4.39 million from an initially reported 4.42 million. Economists polled by MarketWatch had expected sales at a 4.7 million clip in December. For all of 2011, sales edged up 1.7% to 4.26 million – compared to the 2005 peak of 7.08 million. Median sales prices in December fell 2.5% from the same period of 2010 to $164,500, and for the year, median prices were $166,100, down 3.9% and back to 2002 levels. Inventories fell 9.2% to 2.38 million, which represents 6.2 months of supply. The months of supply of inventory were the lowest inventory since April 2006, though inventory levels are generally low in the winter.

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — A measure of builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes climbed in January to the highest level since June 2007, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo housing market index released Wednesday. The gauge rose 4 points to 25, the fourth consecutive rise. Economists polled by MarketWatch had expected only a 1-point improvement to 22. NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe attributed the gains to improvements in employment and consumer confidence. The seasonally adjusted index, which correlates closely with single-family housing starts, is designed so that readings over 50 are considered “good,” which hasn’t been the case since April 2006.

Could 2012 be THE YEAR of the builder!!!

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) – Pending home sales rose 7.3% in November to the highest level in 19 months, according to an industry trade group. The National Association of Realtors said its pending sales index rose to 100.1 in November from a revised 93.3 in October, and it’s now 5.9% above its year-ago level.  Read more…