Articles

Mirroring a steep rise in mortgage rates that began in the early part of 2022 and coupled with ongoing building material supply chain bottlenecks that increased construction costs, housing affordability posted three consecutive quarterly declines in 2022 and now stands at its lowest level since the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) began tracking it on a consistent basis in 2012. However, a recent drop in mortgage rates over the past two months signals that declining affordability conditions may have reached their low point for this cycle. Read More

Despite security concerns, U.S. commerce with China is on the rise, reports the Wall Street Journal. However, flooring imports from the country have been in decline, says analyst Santo Torcivia of Market Insights. Read More

The Winter 2023 Allen Matkins/UCLA Anderson Forecast California Commercial Real Estate Survey released today shows that commercial real estate developers, owners, and investors have reverted to a less-than-confident outlook on the office sector as rental and occupancy rates continue to weaken. Read More

Homebuyer preferences have continued to shift home building trends in the wake of Covid-19. Following a brief uptick in new home sizes in 2021, the average size of a new home dropped slightly from 2,525 square feet to 2,480 square feet in 2022, and the percentage of new homes with 3+ full bathrooms and 3+ car garages dipped to 33% and 17%, respectively. Read More

Multifamily starts are predicted to fall in 2023, following an unsustainable high level of production last year, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Meanwhile, the remodeling sector remains on solid ground and will do better than the single-family and multifamily markets in 2023. Read More

The housing recession that began in 2022 will bleed into 2023 as elevated inflation and mortgage rates, coupled with stubbornly high building material construction costs, continue to take a toll on the housing industry and are expected to push the overall economy into a mild recession this year. However, the second half of 2023 could lead to a turning point for housing and the economy. Read More

Multifamily starts are predicted to fall in 2023, following an unsustainable high level of production last year, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Meanwhile, the remodeling sector remains on solid ground and will do better than the single-family and multifamily markets in 2023. Read More

Flooring process is used to cover the ground surface of buildings by utilizing various covering materials such as tiles, carpets and vinyl. Industrial flooring is used as covering of the industrial buildings and manufacturing units. These flooring provides many benefits over conventional flooring such as easier common repair and maintenance requirements. Read More

The engine of the U.S. economy-consumer spending-is starting to sputter, reports the Wall Street Journal. Read More

By any measure, 2023 will be a challenging year for the floor coverings industry. Historically, every time mortgage rates increased housing demand declines. And when housing demand declines flooring sales suffer. The past year has been no exception. The nearly 80 percent increase in mortgage rates in 2022 resulted in housing demand (new completions, existing home sales, and manufactured housing) declining by about 14 percent. Read More