While builder confidence rose slightly, it reached only the level of 15, on a 100-point scale, where a 50 means that half the respondents were seeing a healthy market and half were not. The builders future expectations for all three 55+ market segments — single-family for-sale, condos, and multifamily for-rent — fell slightly, with single-famil hitting 23, condos 17, and rentals 32.

“The survey shows that builders are still cautious,” said David Crowe, NAHB's chief economist. “They may be seeing a few green shoots as some sales pick up, but builders understand that the consumer remains uncertain and awaits clearer signs of a housing and economic recovery.”

It should be noted that the response rate for the survey has been dropping over the past three quarters. The survey takes about 10 minutes to fill out, and offers an important snapshot of where the market is going in the future. Builder members who would like to participate should send their contact information and e-mail address to Ann Marie Moriarty. All 55+ Housing Council members should encourage the builders they work with to participate; one need not be an NAHB member or a 55+ Council member to fill out the survey.

For the full press release, view this page. The chart with the past three quarters' worth of data is available at this link. [Return to top]