Definition of "Housing starts"

Steve Purcell real estate agent

Written by

Steve Purcellelite badge icon

Re/Max Affinity Plus

A measure of actual starts of houses, condominiums, and apartment construction. When an economy is going to take a downturn, the housing sector is the first to decline. The strength in housing starts means not only that the housing industry is healthy, but suggests strength in the overall economy. Housing starts figures are issued monthly by the Department of Commerce. Housing is a key interest-sensitive sector that usually leads the rest of the economy out of the recession. For the housing sector to be sustained, housing start figures need to be backed by building permits. Permits are considered a leading indicator of housing starts.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

An accounting methodology for separately depreciating individual parts or elements of a building or improvement qualifying as business use or a depreciable asset under the IRS tax code. ...

Property taken over by the government because the owner has failed to pay taxes on it. The property may revert back to the owner when the taxes are paid. If not, the government may sell the ...

Neighborhood square somewhat resembling a park. It is often owned by town or row house owners situated near the square. ...

Covering studs on the outside. ...

(1) The exposed trim and molding surrounding a door or window. (2) Woodwork which encases a pipe or structural member. (3) Method of creating a form for the pouring of concrete. ...

percentage of land that may be used productively to the total square footage of the land. For example, if total square footage is 40,000 but only 30,000 square feet may be built upon ...

Same as term access right: The right of a property owner to freely go to and return from an adjoining highway without interference." rollover;"Same as term: Tax-free exchange that allows ...

The maximum pre-approved amount that an individual or business can borrow without preparing a new credit request. It is a safety buffer in the event funds are needed for unexpected ...

Every borrower has his own definition of amortization schedule in mind. An amortization schedule is a table that reveals how the debt is going to be paid back and at what cost. For most ...

Popular Real Estate Questions