Construction firms 'struggling to fill jobs' as 25 states shed positions in June

The ongoing labor shortage is particularly concerning due to the fact that it is occurring in an environment of growing industry demand, according to the AGC.

By Kim Slowey • July 26, 2016

First-time buyers push June existing home sales up 1.1%

The NAR said that despite the fourth consecutive increase in existing home sales in June, persistent low inventory could derail future gains.

By Kim Slowey • July 25, 2016

Dodge Data: Drop in residential and public works drives June starts down 7%

Lack of multimillion-dollar public works projects pushed the nonbuilding segment down 24%.

By Kim Slowey • July 22, 2016

Some women in construction earn 3.7% more than men

Women in the installation, repair and maintenance segment of construction made a median weekly $848 versus the $818 earned by men doing the same work.

By Kim Slowey • July 21, 2016

Housing starts up, indicating 'gradual recovery'

July's housing starts, according to the National Association of Homebuilders, represents a "cautious pace" of building activity.

By Kim Slowey • July 19, 2016

NAHB: Homebuilder confidence slips 1 point in July

Despite the a slight dip, the association reported that it was still in a "narrow positive range."

By Kim Slowey • July 19, 2016

NAR: Renters with student debt hesitant on homeownership

The emotional and financial strain of repaying student loans are leaving young people out of the housing market and out of homebuilders' reach.

By Kim Slowey • July 15, 2016

ABC: Rise in material prices 'translates into smaller profit margins' for construction companies

The higher price of materials combined with growing labor costs could lead some developers to speed up their projects.

By Emily Peiffer • July 14, 2016

June construction starts up 4% — but seasonal decline is on the horizon

ConstructConnect reported that July will most likely see the last of the seasonal increases in nonresidential construction starts.

By Kim Slowey • July 14, 2016

Apartment demand rebounds as supply struggles to keep pace

The percentage of vacant apartments fell to a post-recession low of 3.8% in Q2, but researchers said that rate will rise when developers build more units.

By Kim Slowey • July 14, 2016

Commercial, institutional sectors drive 11% surge in Dodge Momentum Index

However, Dodge warned that the Index's volatility could continue, depending on the broader U.S. economy as well as the outcomes of the November elections.  

By Kim Slowey • July 11, 2016

Construction employment stagnant in June as unemployment rate falls to 16-year low

With June marking the third consecutive month without job gains, construction groups point to the skilled labor shortage as a factor hindering industry expansion. 

By Kim Slowey • July 11, 2016

Low inventory will continue to plague housing market through 2016

May single-family-home groundbreakings were only an annualized 1.138 million, well short of the 1.5 million Forbes reported is necessary to meet demand.

By Kim Slowey • July 8, 2016

Why minority homeownership rates plunged after the housing crash — and how to reverse the trend

One study found that during the recession, "race was the leading explanation for why people lost homes they owned and turned back to rentals."

By Kim Slowey • July 7, 2016

CoreLogic: Housing is 'oasis of stability' with 1.3% May home price gain

The data company said the steady price growth is due to fast-paced resale activity and the limited supply of available homes on the market.

By Emily Peiffer • July 5, 2016

Floundering public sector drags total US construction spending down 0.8%

Despite the month-to-month decline, May construction spending was still 2.8% higher than May 2015.

By Emily Peiffer • July 1, 2016

Redfin: Housing demand slips as buyers struggle to find available properties

Frustrated by low inventory, potential homebuyers wrote 4.5% fewer offers year over year in May, the third straight month of declines.

By Kim Slowey • July 1, 2016

64% spike in rents since 1960 far outpaces income growth

Higher construction costs, regulations preventing development and increased demand in expensive cities have contributed to the rise, according to The Wall Street Journal.

By Kim Slowey • June 30, 2016

Booming US hotel construction surpasses all other countries

In the U.S. hotel market, New York City leads the way with 32,136 rooms under construction through the end of Q1.

By Kim Slowey • June 30, 2016

Pending home sales tumble 3.7% as demand far outpaces supply

May's rate was 0.2% lower than May 2015 — marking the first time in nearly two years that pending sales declined year over year. 

By Emily Peiffer • June 29, 2016

NAHB: Growing number of builders plagued by skilled labor, subcontractor shortages

The current labor crisis has proven to be more severe than past ones, especially in the face of fewer single-family home starts than in previous years.

By Kim Slowey • June 29, 2016

NYC construction boom drives 7% bump in 2015 industry employment

City construction workers also saw their wages increase by 3%, the largest year-over-year rise since 2008, according to the New York Building Congress.

By Kim Slowey • June 29, 2016

10 most stable US housing markets

Boulder, CO, topped the list of the best markets for growth and stability, according to SmartAsset.

By Kim Slowey • June 29, 2016

How Brexit will impact the US housing market

The U.S. could see an influx of foreign buyers looking to pull out of the U.K. after the move, according to NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun.

By Kim Slowey • June 28, 2016

Dodge Data: 5% rise in construction starts buoyed by public works, utilities

Chief Economist Robert Murray said the month-to-month starts pattern continued to be "uneven," but overall starts have logged annual increases since 2010.

By Kim Slowey • June 27, 2016