Steven Wood Housing Quotations

Unseasonably mild weather in January, coming after unseasonably severe weather in December, generated a huge increase in housing starts. Moreover, February's weather is likely to generate a big decline in housing activity next month.

We still expect economic activity to slow over the next several quarters as consumer spending slows further and housing declines more because of higher interest rates and energy costs. The absence of inflation will be welcomed at the Federal Reserve.

The demand for new housing surged, likely because rising mortgage rates motivated some potential homebuyers to accelerate their buying decisions.

While the housing sector is slowing, almost all of its weakness will be offset by the improving factory sector, ... More interest rate hikes will be necessary to slow the economy sufficiently to alleviate the Fed's fears of building inflationary pressures.

With last week's Fed tightening, mortgage rates have continued to rise, so that further declines in housing activity are likely over the balance of the year. Nevertheless, robust labor markets and rising incomes have helped sustain housing at a relatively high level.

These data continue to show that the housing market remains resilient in the face of rising interest rates. This resiliency will make it more difficult for the (Federal Open Market Committee) to slow the economy,

The burden of higher interest rates will weigh down the housing industry further. This, in turn, should lead to moderated residential construction and home related consumer spending on goods such as furniture, appliances, and home improvement items in coming months.

Although the fundamentals have deteriorated builders have been cautious, so there is no imbalance of unsold new homes. Therefore, as long as new home sales are maintained near current levels, housing construction can also continue near these levels.

Although housing should slow modestly over the balance of the year, it is unlikely to generate the major weakness typically associated with housing during an economic downturn.

Although higher interest rates appear to have begun to have a negative impact on housing activity and consumer spending, sturdy domestic demand and improving international economies have generated an acceleration in manufacturing activity.

Higher interest rates have been weathered by home buyers through the use of adept home financing techniques. Nevertheless, the resilience in the housing sector will support further monetary tightening by the Fed.

Housing fundamentals are deteriorating. Mortgage rates have been flat since the beginning of the year. Job creation and income growth has slowed. Equity markets have plunged over the past year. And consumer confidence has tumbled. Moreover, mortgage applications have trailed off. All of these suggest that home sales should weaken over the next several months.

Housing fundamentals are deteriorating, ... Mortgage rates have been flat since the beginning of the year. Job creation and income growth has slowed. Equity markets have plunged over the past year. And consumer confidence has tumbled. Moreover, mortgage applications have trailed off. All of these suggest that home sales should weaken over the next several months.

Housing activity, which has contributed significantly to economic growth over the past 2-1/2 years, has now passed its peak and will be largely neutral to negative over the next several quarters, ... This slowdown will be welcomed at the Federal Reserve.

Housing activity remains quite robust despite the slowing economy, decline in jobs, and faltering stock market.

The January gain in construction spending was surprisingly weak given the recent strength in housing starts and unseasonably warm weather.