Articles

While housing starts ended the year on a strong note, rising lumber prices and increasing regulatory cost concerns could affect future production. Led by a solid, double-digit gain in single-family starts, overall housing starts increased 5.8 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.67 million units, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau. Read More

The United States Flooring Market is expected to grow from USD 41,365.42 Million/EUR 36,269.98 Million in 2020 to USD 51,606.22 Million/EUR 45,249.31 by the end of 2025 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4.52%. Read More

However, while the housing market is rocketing, the commercial real estate market is in the midst of a steep downturn. That’s not surprising since many workers are working remotely and not going to their offices, and consumers are buying things online and not in stores, not eating at restaurants and not staying in hotels because they are not traveling. As a result, commercial vacancy rates are up, rents are down and the construction of new buildings is well off from levels of the past few years.   Read More

In 2020, the flooring world experienced a global pandemic, the reinstatement of tariffs on Chinese-made vinyl flooring and supply chain issues. Despite all of this, sales in the resilient category could have increased by more than 7.6 percent during the first nine months of 2020, according to Catalina Research. With its continuously improving visuals, ease of install and hygienic properties, resilient flooring is poised to continue this trajectory in 2021.  Read More

Catalina Research has released its executive summary for 2020 and outlook for 2021. According to the report, the value of U.S. floor coverings manufacturer sales (shipments minus exports plus imports) could have declined 5.7 percent to $25.9 billion in 2020. Square foot sales, however, could have decreased by only 0.9 percent to 23.1 billion. Square foot sales held up better since average selling prices dropped as demand weakened, the report said.  Read More

"Though the market remains strong, the pace of sales pulled back in November as inventory remains low and affordability concerns persist as builders grapple with a shortage of lots, labor and building materials," said Chuck Fowke, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a custom home builder from Tampa, Florida. Read More

Catalina Research reported U.S. laminate flooring sales saw a slight decline in 2020, decreasing by 3.8 percent in dollars and 4.8 percent in square feet. But the year wasn’t all about decline for laminate in 2020. In fact, Catalina Research reported that laminate dollar sales benefited from growth in higher priced goods as demand shifted to more water-resistant flooring. Laminate sales also received a boost from an increase in consumer DIY projects, which plays nicely into the segment. Read More

Entering 2021, the country continues to deal with the pandemic and its economic fallout, social unrest sparked by racial injustice, and the devastating impacts of climate change. In all of this upheaval, the nation’s housing challenges have never been so evident — particularly the lack of affordable rental housing, unequal access to good-quality homes as well as homeownership, and the vulnerability of much of the housing stock to natural disasters. Read More

"Though the market remains strong, the pace of sales pulled back in November as inventory remains low and affordability concerns persist as builders grapple with a shortage of lots, labor and building materials," said Chuck Fowke, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a custom home builder from Tampa, Fla. Read More

Sales of newly built, single-family homes in November fell 11 percent to an 841,000 seasonally adjusted annual rate, according to newly released data by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau. Despite the monthly decline, the November rate is 20.8 percent higher than a year ago. Read More