Uncertainty Seen Dampening Market

Continued economic uncertainty is having an adverse effect on a housing recovery, despite some signs that the market is poised to make gains through the end of this year. Among the key statistics and forecasts released by government agencies, research firms and industry-related trade associations in recent weeks were the following:

HOUSING STARTS
The National Association of Home Builders is projecting a gradual upward trend in new-home production through the end of 2011, “though not without some bumps along the way,” as home buyers begin taking advantage of favorable affordability factors and the current buyers’ market, NAHB chief economist David Crowe said last month. Crowe’s comments were made in the wake of government reports that nationwide housing starts through mid-year were at their best pace since the beginning of the year, with single-family starts posting their best pace since November of 2010, according to the Washington, DC-based NAHB. “The latest housing production figures show broad-based gains on both the single-family side and in multi-family apartment construction,” Crowe observed.

EXISTING-HOME SALES
A variety of key issues, including tight credit, low appraisals and a recent spike in contract cancellations, “are weighing on the market” for existing-home sales, which is also being hamstrung by continued economic uncertainty, the National Association of Realtors said last month. Commenting in the wake of a June slide in home resales, Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the Washington, DC-based NAR, said that the current “uneven recovery” may be resulting in hesitation among some would-be home buyers or lenders. NAR President Ron Phipps added that home sales “should be higher,” in his view. “With record high housing affordability conditions, we’d normally expect to see stronger home sales,” Phipps said. “Even with job creation below expectations, excessively tight loan standards are keeping many buyers from completing deals.”

APPLIANCE SHIPMENTS
Domestic shipments of major home appliances posted their first uptick for 2011 in June, rising 4.8% compared to June of 2010, according to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers. The Washington, DC-based AHAM reported last month that June appliance shipments totaled 6.74 million units, up from the 6.43 million units shipped during June of last year. Year-to-date shipments were up 0.1% compared to the January-June time span last year, AHAM said. Despite the overall monthly increase, however, declines were reported in most major product categories, including cooking, kitchen cleanup and food preservation appliances. In contrast, the greatest gains were reported in home comfort products, such as air conditioners.

CABINET & VANITY SALES
Sales of kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities declined once again in June, the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association said last month. According to the Reston, VA-based KCMA, manufacturers participating in the association’s monthly “Trend of Business” survey reported that overall cabinet sales fell 2.1% for the month, compared to June of 2010. Sales of stock cabinets decreased 1.5%, while semi-custom sales slid 2.1% and custom cabinet sales declined 5.1%, the KCMA reported. Year-to-date sales through June were down 3.7% from the January-June period of 2010.

Market Analysis

Slide in Home Improvement Spending Seen Continuing Into Early Next Year

Cambridge, MA — After showing signs of recovery, spending on home improvements is expected to remain volatile and weak over the next several quarters, according to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) released last month by the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.

The LIRA is projecting that annual remodeling spending through the first quarter of 2012 will be down 4%, according to the Cambridge, MA-based Joint Center (see related graph at right).