Housing Starts

Housing Permits

U.S.

-17%

+3%

Northeast

-56.5%

-17.4%

South

-2.5%

+7.3%

Midwest

-37%

+6.1%

West

-18.2%

+2.2%

Multifamily

Single Family

Starts

-20.8%

-14.9%

Permits

+18.8%

-6.2%

*At 472,000 units, this is the highest level since April 2014 and only the third time it's been above 470,000 since 2006. Credit: U.S. Commerce Department

Starts

+18.9%

Existing Sales

+6.9%

New Single Family Sales

+11.4%

*Year Over Year
According to the Federal Reserve, household wealth rose 1.9 percent during Q4 2014 to nearly $83 trillion, fueled in part by a rise of $356 billion in the value of houses in the U.S.

Materially Speaking
In February, for the first time in six months, construction materials prices rose (0.4 %) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But year-over-year, material prices are still down 3.9 percent.

The Portland Cement Association recently reported their findings on the impacts of two impending government actions. The proposed Waters of the United States rules could, the PCA estimates, cost cement plants nearly $73 million in compliance expenditures during a five-year period. The Environmental Protection Agency's proposal to further tighten ozone standards could result in the loss of more than 45,000 construction jobs each year according to a PCA report. cement.org

Construction Job Report
In 2014, construction jobs increased in 43 states and the District of Columbia according to an analysis of Labor Department data by the Associated General Contractors of America.

The Top Five

1) Texas (49,600 jobs, 7.9 percent)
2) California (37,800 jobs, 5.7 percent)
3) Florida (31,800 jobs, 8.3 percent)
4) Washington (17,300 jobs, 11.1 percent)
5) New York (16,400 jobs, 5.0 percent)