SOURCE: UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SURVEYS OF CONSUMERS
WAIT AND SEE: Volatile gas prices helped keep the overall index of consumer sentiment close to its December reading, but home buyer sentiment improved slightly.
SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU
WINTER WARMER: Mild weather boosted housing activity in January, with Northeast starts up 32.3% over January 2005. Only the West posted a decline year over year.
SOURCES: NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS AND U.S. CENSUS BUREAU
WINNERS AND LOSERS: Existing homes continued to sell at prices well above their year-ago levels in December but still were lower than new-home prices.
Credit: SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU
STAYING STRONG: December's new-home sales data refuted reports that sales were slowing, as they were ahead of the pace of a year earlier.
SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU
UP AGAIN: Following the up-and-down pattern of recent months, builders pulled more permits in January. Permits for both single-family and multifamily units were up.
SIMILAR FEELINGS: The overall index of builder sentiment remained constant in February, though builders in the Midwest felt even worse about their markets.
SIMILAR FEELINGS: The overall index of builder sentiment remained constant in February, though builders in the Midwest felt even worse about their markets.SOURCE: NAHB
LESS FOR LUMBER: Prices for framing lumber and OSB were down against a year earlier and have stayed within a narrow range since November.