U.S. housing starts projected to increase 1.3% annually through 2023 – Idaho Business Review

New homes rising in the Tresure Valley’s Springhill subdivision. U.S. housing starts are forecast to increase through 2023, according to a new report. Photo by Sharon Fisher

U.S. housing starts are forecast to increase 1.3% annually in unit terms through 2023, according to a new national report.

“Housing: United States,” a report recently released by Freedonia Focus Reports, says builders will benefit from population growth and household creation, as well as strengthening consumer finances.

The fastest growth is expected for manufactured homes. Design enhancements that allow the homes to more closely resemble conventional housing as well as more specialized and value-added features will support demand. In terms of value, expenditures on residential building construction, including improvements, are projected to expand 3.6% per year to 2023. Spending on single-unit structures is expected to outpace gains in multiple-unit structures only marginally.

U.S. housing stock is forecast to grow nearly 1.0% through 2023. Rapid advances in housing completions will boost the housing stock. Single-unit conventional housing will continue to dominate, with a projected 69% share in 2023. Household formation will spur ongoing gains in housing construction. With higher levels of housing completions in the forecast period than during the 2008-2018 period, a larger share of construction will represent net additions to the stock rather than simply offsetting retirements of older units.