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Homebuilers Active as Housing Starts Have Best Year Since 2007 (XHB) (PHM) (RYL)

January 17, 2014 9:36 AM EST
The U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced the following new residential construction statistics for December 2013:

BUILDING PERMITS

Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in December were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 986,000. This is 3.0 percent (±1.1%) below the revised November rate of 1,017,000, but is 4.6 percent (±1.1%) above the December 2012 estimate of 943,000.

*** The Street consensus was looking for 1 million.

Single-family authorizations in December were at a rate of 610,000; this is 4.8 percent (±1.0%) below the revised November figure of 641,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 350,000 in December. An estimated 974,700 housing units were authorized by building permits in 2013. This is 17.5 percent (±0.8%) above the 2012 figure of 829,700.

HOUSING STARTS

Privately-owned housing starts in December were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 999,000. This is 9.8 percent (±10.7%)* below the revised November estimate of 1,107,000, but is 1.6 percent (±11.9%)* above the December 2012 rate of 983,000.

*** The Street consensus was at 986,000. Notably, the pace was the best since 2007, data show.

Single-family housing starts in December were at a rate of 667,000; this is 7.0 percent (±8.9%)* below the revised November figure of 717,000. The December rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 312,000.

An estimated 923,400 housing units were started in 2013. This is 18.3 percent (±2.9%) above the 2012 figure of 780,600.

HOUSING COMPLETIONS

Privately-owned housing completions in December were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 744,000. This is 10.8 percent (±9.9%) below the revised November estimate of 834,000, but is 10.7 percent (±11.7%)* above the December 2012 rate of 672,000.

Single-family housing completions in December were at a rate of 550,000; this is 8.2 percent (±10.1%)* below the revised November rate of 599,000. The December rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 183,000.

An estimated 762,200 housing units were completed in 2013. This is 17.4 percent (±3.7%) above the 2012 figure of 649,200.


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