Housing “Bust” Gets Worse
The housing boom is long gone. In NJ, the housing boom ended in the Summer of 2005, and since 2006 the housing market has been crashing. New home builders are trying to unload excess inventory by cutting prices and offering incentives. The National Association of Home Builders reported builder confidence sank by two points to 22 which is the lowest reading since January 1991. The US Commerce Department reports new home construction rapidly declined 6.1% in July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.38 million which is down 20.9% over the past year.
On top of the housing decline, the tightening credit standards is making it harder for homeowners with adjustable rates to refinance and avoid skyrocketing payments. This does not look good for the construction industry and the economy in general.
see: http://www.TaxEsq.com