Global| Oct 20 2008U.S. Home Builders' Survey Plumbed A New Low
by:Tom Moeller
|in:Economy in Brief
Summary
The National Association of Home Builders indicated that its October Housing Market Index (HMI) fell to a record low of 14. The index is compiled from survey questions asking builders to rate market conditions as “good”, “fair”, [...]
The National Association of Home Builders indicated that its October Housing Market Index (HMI) fell to a record low of 14. The index is compiled from survey questions asking builders to rate market conditions as “good”, “fair”, “poor” or “very high” to “very low”. Numerical equivalent results over 50 indicate a predominance of “good” readings.
Since 1990, the year-to-year change in this index has had a correlation of 72% with the year-to-year percentage change in new single-family home sales. As a result, the latest HMI index at best indicates a bottoming of the housing market's troubles.
The Home Builders Association indicated that its sub-index of present sales conditions also fell to a record low of 14. That was down from last year's average level of 27 and 2006's average of 45.
Builders’ expectations for sales six months also plumbed a new series' low at 19. The “traffic of prospective buyers also fell to a new low.
Each of the country's regions showed deterioration in the index; however, in the South and in the West conditions, fell to new low.
The NAHB has compiled the Housing Market Index since 1985. The results, along with other housing and remodeling indexes from NAHB Economics, are included in Haver’s SURVEYS database.
| Nat'l Association of Home Builders | October | September | October '07 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Composite Housing Market Index | 14 | 17 | 19 | 27 | 42 | 67 |
Tom Moeller
AuthorMore in Author Profile »Prior to joining Haver Analytics in 2000, Mr. Moeller worked as the Economist at Chancellor Capital Management from 1985 to 1999. There, he developed comprehensive economic forecasts and interpreted economic data for equity and fixed income portfolio managers. Also at Chancellor, Mr. Moeller worked as an equity analyst and was responsible for researching and rating companies in the economically sensitive automobile and housing industries for investment in Chancellor’s equity portfolio. Prior to joining Chancellor, Mr. Moeller was an Economist at Citibank from 1979 to 1984. He also analyzed pricing behavior in the metals industry for the Council on Wage and Price Stability in Washington, D.C. In 1999, Mr. Moeller received the award for most accurate forecast from the Forecasters' Club of New York. From 1990 to 1992 he was President of the New York Association for Business Economists. Mr. Moeller earned an M.B.A. in Finance from Fordham University, where he graduated in 1987. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from George Washington University.
More Economy in Brief
