Residential Sales in September 2015
November 2015
According to the US Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development the sale of new single-family houses were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 468,000 for September 2015. This is 11.5% decrease from the revised August 2015 rate of 529,000 but it is a 2% increase from the September 2014 estimate of 459,000.
For more information please visit: US Census Bureau
Synergy Thermal Foil’s New Location
October 2015
Exciting things are happening at Synergy Thermal Foils, and we want to share some important news with you. Loyalty from customers like you has fueled continued growth, making a move to a new, larger facility necessary.Our move was not very far but it has allowed us to increase the the stock of your favorite STF designs and expand our current collection line. Please make note of our new unit number. Our office phone and fax numbers will remain the same. If you have any questions or concerns please contact the office at 954-420-9553 or by emailing info@synergythermofoils.com .
1673 SW 1st Way
Unit 4
Deerfield Beach, FL 33441
Builder Confidence on the Rise
October 2015
Builder confidence for newly constructed single-family homes increased one point to a level of 62 on the National Association of Home Builders/ Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). This has been the highest rating since October 2005. NAHM is projecting about 1.1 million housing starts this year and the newest HMI report is consistent with the forecast. Two of the three HIM components had gains as well in September, the index measuring buyer traffic increased 2 points to 47, and the component gauging current sales conditions rose 1 point to 67.
The HMI is derived from a monthly survey at the National Association of Home Builders and gauges builder perceptions of current single-family home sales and sales expectations. Scores for each component are used to calculate seasonally adjusted index where numbers over 50 indicated that more builders view conditions as good than poor.
New Residential Sales in August 2015
October 2015
Sales of new single-family houses is once again on the rise for August 2015. With a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 552,000, according to the U.S Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is a 21.6% increase from August 2014 and a 5.7% increase from the revised July rate of 522,000.
Canadian Lumber Production Increases
October 2015
Canadian Lumber produced 2.2 billion board feet in July 2015, bringing up the year-to-date total to 15.4 billion board feet. This is a 6% increase from the previous year. The provinces that saw the most gain were Alberta, up 8% to 2.3 billion board feet, and Quebec, up 5% to 3.2 billion board feet.
Proposed Hardwood Checkoff Program
August 2015
The USDA is once again seeking public comments on amendments made for the Hardwood Checkoff Program. The program was initially proposed in November, 2013 as a collective research and marketing effort funded by lumber producers with financial oversight, implementation, and enforcement conducted by a 28 member board run by industry owners and employees. The proposed program would highlight a single commodity, hardwood, and create a promotional campaign to increase the sales of US produced hardwood. Similar programs started by the USDA include the campaigns such as “Got Milk”, “Beef, It’s What’s for Dinner” and “Pork, the Other White Meat”.
With the newest revisions to the program that clarify export and domestic sales would be included for eligible products and changing the voting procedures for the programs participants the USDA has started to move forward following the public comments period.
Under the Hardwood Checkoff Program the funding would be from sawmill operators and kiln drying yards with annual sales greater than $2 million will be assessed $1 for every $1,000 in sales. Plywood mills with more than $10 million in annual production will pay $3 per $1,000 of production.
For more information on the Hardwood Checkoff Program please visit: Harwood Checkoff Program and No Hardwood Checkoff Program
New Residential Sales Increase for June 2015
August 2015
Sales of new single-family houses were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 482,000 and compared to June 2014 this was an increase of 18.1 percent. However June 2015 sales were 6.8% below the revised May 2015 rate of 517,000. The seasonally adjusted estimate of new houses for sale at the end of June was 215,000, representing a supply of 5.4 months at the current sales rate. For more information please visit US Census Bureau.
Expected Remodeling Growth in 2016
August 2015
With a recent increase in US residential home sales, there is an expected 4% increase in US residential remodeling spending for the first quarter in 2016 according to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) released by the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. The second quarter of 2015 experienced a 4.3% increase to $144.7 billion compared to the $138.7 billion spent during the same time period of 2014.
“Other signals of strengthening remodeling activity include sustained growth in retail sales of home improvement products and ongoing gains in house prices across much of the country,” says Abbe Will, a research analyst in the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center. “Rising home prices means rising home equity, which should encourage improvement spending by a growing number of owners.” (http://www.jchs.harvard.edu/)
The LIRA is published quarterly and is designed to estimate national homeowner spending on improvements for the current quarter and subsequent three quarters.
References:
“Pick-Up Projected in Home Improvement Activity Moving into 2016.” (Press Release from the Joint Center for Housing Studies, Harvard University). Web. 30 July 2015.
Amending the Lacey Act
August 2015
The Lacey Act of 1990 was the first US conservation law
which prohibits trade wildlife, plants and plant products that have been obtained illegally or traded in violation of the laws of a foreign nation. The Lacey Act has come under scrutiny again with the reintroduction of the Freedom from Over- Criminalization and Unjust Seizures Act of 2015 (FOCUS Act) by U.S. Senator Rand Paul and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. They aim to remove any reference to foreign laws in the Lacey Act and substitute the criminal penalties with civil penalties. For more information on the Lacey Act visit: US Fish and Wildlife Services For more information on the FOCUS Act
visit: https://www.congress.gov/
New Residential Sales increase in July 2015
July 2015
New data released by the U.S Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates that the sale of new single-family houses in July 2015 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 507,000. This is a 25.8% increase from July 2014 and a 5.4% increase from the revised June 2015 sales.