Building Permits
Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits came in at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,495,000 in July. That’s 18.8% (±1.1%) above the revised June rate of 1,258,000 and 9.4% (±1.5%) above the July 2019 rate of 1,366,000.
Forecasts ranged from a low of 1,200,000 to a high of 1,380,000. The consensus forecast was 1,300,000.
Single-family authorizations came in at a rate of 983,000, which is 17.0% (±1.2%) higher than the revised June figure of 840,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 467,000 in July.
Housing Starts
Privately-owned housing starts came in at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,496,000. That’s 22.6% (±14.7%) above the revised June estimate of 1,220,000 and is 23.4% (±12.4%) higher than the July 2019 rate of 1,212,000.
Single-family housing starts came in at a rate of 940,000, or 8.2% (±10.3%) higher than the revised June figure of 869,000. The July rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 547,000.
Forecasts ranged from a low of 1,169,000 to a high of 1,320,000. The consensus forecast was 1,240,000.
Housing Completions
Privately-owned housing completions came in at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,280,000. That’s 3.6% (±14.9%) higher from the revised June estimate of 1,236,000 and 1.7% (±12.8%) above the July 2019 rate of 1,258,000.
Single-family housing completions came in at a rate of 909,000, or 1.8% (±16.8%) below the revised June rate of 926,000. The July rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 364,000.
There’s no consensus forecast published for housing completions.