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US Spending on Residential Improvements: March 2019
According to the US National Association of Home Builders, Americans spend more than US$200 billion on home improvements each year. The most recent data from Construction Spending showed that spending on residential improvements fell to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of US$173 billion in March 2019, down by -3.1% over February estimate, and was -14.1% lower than a year…
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Spot Lumber Prices … a New Low?
An interesting question among North American construction framing dimension softwood lumber wholesalers and traders Friday: “Spot #lumber prices lowest in how many years?” –– veteran softwood lumber trader It might be a difficult time right now for producers and sellers of Canadian and US softwood lumber, but it’s nothing compared to 2009 and certainly not…
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US Pending Home Sales: April 2019
The US Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI), reported by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), is a forward-looking indicator based on signed contracts. The PHSI fell -1.5% from 105.9 in March to 104.3 in April, and was still -2% below the level of one year ago, marking the sixteenth straight month of declines on an annualized basis.…
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Madison’s Lumber RETROspective: 1952-1973
This weekend Madison’s was contacted on FaceBook by one of founder Peter Madison’s children. His youngest daughter found an old copy of the printed Madison’s Canadian Lumber Directory and sent us this photo: As we exchanged happy messages (Hi June! — ed) it occurred to Madison’s that we haven’t been promoting the fun Madison’s Lumber…
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US House Prices: March 2019
US home prices rose at the slowest pace in more than six years in March, a sign weaker sales are keeping a lid on price increases. The Case-Shiller US National Home Price Index, reported Tuesday by S&P Dow Jones Indices, rose at a seasonally adjusted annual growth rate of +3.2% in March, following an increase of…
