Hurricanes put a dent in hew home construction, Single family housing starts fell, mortgage rates unchanged

October 18, 2017

Hurricanes Harvey and Irma put a dent in new home construction in Florida and southern Texas. The Commerce Department reported that total September Housing Starts fell 4.7% from August to an annual rate of 1.127 million units versus the 1.160 million expected. It was the lowest level since September 2016; however, from September 2016 to September 2017, starts were up 6.1%.

Single family Housing Starts fell 4.6% percent from August, although they were up 5.9% from September 2016. Multi-dwelling starts with five or more units, saw a drop of 6.2% from August and a 7.9% rise over September 2016. Overall, the South saw a 9.3% decline in September, while gains were seen in the Northeast, Midwest and West. Building Permits, a sign of future construction, fell 4.5% from August to an annual rate of 1.215 million units, just below the 1.225 million expected.

Mortgage rates were essentially unchanged in the latest week as reported by the Mortgage bankers Associaiton (MBA). The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage with conforming loan balances ($424,100 or less) decreased to 4.14% from 4.16%, with points remaining unchanged at 0.44. The MBA’s Market Composite Index, a measure of total mortgage loan application volume, rose 3.6% in the latest week. The refinance index rose 3%, while the purchase index was up 4%.

Mortgage Calculator Showing Purchase Of Home Loan