Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Homebuilder Blues: NAHB/Wells Fargo Home Builder Ratings April 2014

Today, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) released their latest Housing Market Index (HMI) showing that assessments of housing activity went flat in April with the composite HMI index climbing to 47 from 46 the prior month while the "buyer traffic" index remained unchanged at a level of 32.

The recent pullback has been notable and while many are suggesting that inclement weather is responsible, only time will tell if this is the beginning of an ongoing downtrend for new construction or just a momentary pause.

Looking at the data, it is fairly clear that the last year of results indicate a major change in builder sentiment likely coming as a result of improvements in confidence given the notable rise in buyer traffic, reduced inventory and a more balanced monthly supply.