US Nov homebuilder sentiment eases for first time in five months
Washington
HOMEBUILDER sentiment in the US eased in November for the first time in five months while holding close to the highest level since February 2018.
The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index edged down one point to 70 as sales and traffic of prospective buyers cooled, according to data released on Monday.
The group's gauge of builder optimism about sales over the next six months advanced to the highest since May 2018.
A downturn in sentiment among builders in the South, the largest US region, was responsible for the November decrease.
While low borrowing costs and a sturdy job market continue to fuel demand, smaller builders remain constrained by lot availability and difficulty finding skilled labour, NAHB says.
The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage crept up to 3.75 per cent last week, according to Freddie Mac data, after falling in September to an almost three-year low of 3.49 per cent.
The Federal Reserve has lowered its benchmark rate three times in the second half of the year.
Home sales have improved markedly from last year when affordability issues suppressed demand. The latest government data showed purchases of new properties remain close to an almost 12-year high.
"We have seen substantial year-over-year improvement following the housing affordability crunch of late 2018, when the Housing Market Index (HMI) stood at 60," Robert Dietz, NAHB's chief economist, said in a statement. "However, lot shortages remain a serious problem, particularly among custom builders. Builders also continue to grapple with other affordability headwinds, including a lack of labour and regulatory constraints."
The South posted the lone decline among four regions. The reading for the West climbed to the highest level since 2016.
The index of present sales fell two points to 76 while the future sales measure rose one point to 77. The buyer traffic gauge slipped one point to 53.
Readings above 50 indicate more builders view conditions as good than poor. BLOOMBERG
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