U.S. housing starts jump

April production up 11% from previous month

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

Inman News

The seasonally adjusted rate of housing starts in April rose approximately 11 percent from a month earlier, the U.S. Census Bureau and Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced today.

The seasonally adjusted annual rate projects a monthly total over a 12-month period.

Privately owned housing starts in April were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 2.04 million, up approximately 11 percent from the revised March estimate of 1.84 million and approximately 3.6 percent above the revised April 2004 rate of 1.97 million.

Single-family housing starts in April were at a rate of 1.64 million, which is approximately 6.3 percent higher than the revised March figure of 1.54 million. The April rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 351,000.

Privately owned housing units authorized by building permits in April were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 2.13 million, up approximately 5.3 percent from the revised March rate of 2.02 million and approximately 2.9 percent above the revised April 2004 estimate of 2.07 million.

Single-family authorizations in April were at a rate of 1.63 million, which represents an approximately 5.3 percent gain over the revised March figure of 1.55 million. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 410,000 in April.

Privately owned housing completions in April were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.89 million, up approximately 7 percent from the revised March estimate of 1.76 million, but down approximately 3.4 percent from the revised April 2004 rate of 1.96 million.

Single-family housing completions in April were at a rate of 1.61 million, a gain of approximately 7.6 percent over the revised March figure of 1.49 million. The April rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 254,000.

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