Housing Starts Up 6.5 Percent

Mar 16, 2017

Single-family housing starts in February were at a rate of 872,000, which is 6.5 percent above the revised January figure of 819,000, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Privately-owned housing starts last month were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,288,000, which is three percent above the revised January estimate of 1,251,000 and is 6.2 percent above the February 2016 rate of 1,213,000.

Single-family authorizations in February were at a rate of 832,000, 3.1 percent higher than the revised January figure of 807,000. However, privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in February were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,213,000, which is 6.2 percent below the revised January rate of 1,293,000—although it is also 4.4 percent above the February 2016 rate of 1,162,000.

Single-family housing completions in February were at a rate of 754,000, which is 6.5 percent below the revised January rate of 806,000. But privately-owned housing completions in February were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,114,000, which is 5.4 percent above the revised January estimate of 1,057,000 and is 8.7 percent above the February 2016 rate of 1,025,000.

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Phil Hall

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Mar 16, 2017

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