Blog

Single-Family Housing Authorizations Rise for the First Time in Over a Year

The October BuildFax Housing Health Report (BHHR) revealed increases across both new and existing housing activity. Notably, year-over-year single-family housing authorizations increased in October. Although it was a slight uptick, this was the first time since September 2018 that single-family housing authorizations rose year over year. Maintenance and remodeling activity continued its ascent this month... Read More

Amidst Economic Uncertainty, Housing Activity Rises Notably in September

The September BuildFax Housing Health Report (BHHR) revealed a notable increase in new and existing housing construction after almost a full year of slowing housing activity. This month, single-family housing authorizations rose month over month to recent highs. Meanwhile, maintenance volumes made significant ground, in comparison to the more gradual increases this category experienced in... Read More

U.S. Property Risk Improves as Housing Market Continues to Slump

The August BuildFax Housing Health Report (BHHR) revealed a gradual improvement in property maintenance across the U.S. housing stock. After six months of declining activity, maintenance activity and spend have now risen for two consecutive months. Maintenance is not only a strong indicator of consumer confidence, but it also provides insight into the health of the residential... Read More

Roof Maintenance Reaches New Highs in July, Driven by Severe Spring Weather

The July BuildFax Housing Health Report (BHHR) revealed that amidst repeat declines in new construction activity, the downward trend in maintenance activity is slowing. July in particular experienced a year-over-year uptick in maintenance. While one month of increasing maintenance activity is not a trend, this is a strong indicator of consumer confidence and may signify continued... Read More

National Construction Spend Increases as Volumes Continue to Slide

For almost seven months, the housing market has been slowing across new and existing construction activity, including new home building, large-scale remodels and general home maintenance projects. The June BuildFax Housing Health Report (BHHR) revealed, however, that even as demand for construction slows, spend is still rising, propelled by 2019 economic conditions. New and Existing... Read More

Remodeling Spend to Slow in 29 Major U.S. Metros This Year

Remodeling spend will not keep pace with its steep 2018 increases in 29 of 49 major metros across the U.S., according to a new report from the Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS), a Harvard University initiative that researches housing issues relevant to public policy. The JCHS report leverages a modeling tool, which forecasts residential... Read More

Natural Disasters Contribute to Shift in Maintenance Activity: April BuildFax Housing Health Report

The April BuildFax Housing Health Report (BHHR) revealed an increase in maintenance activity after five months of decreases, while single-family housing authorizations continued to decline.  Maintenance activity increases are owed, in part, to severe convective storms across the U.S. With hurricane season on the horizon, BuildFax anticipates inclement weather to continue to impact maintenance volumes,... Read More

New Migration Patterns Create Opportunities for Carriers to Expand their Book of Business

More and more people moved out of typically high-demand states in favor of up-and-coming regions last year, according to the 2018 U.S. Migration Report by northAmerican Moving Services. This allows carriers a prime marketing opportunity to expand their book of business into new areas. The report found that last year, Illinois, California and New Jersey... Read More

Home Buying Season and Severe Hail Storms May Spur Increased Housing Activity: March BuildFax Housing Health Report

The March BuildFax Housing Health Report (BHHR) revealed the fifth consecutive month of declines across national housing indicator. However, the report also identified a few factors that may contribute to a rise in housing maintenance over the next few months. Chief among them are spring home buying season and increased hail activity. Over the past... Read More

Preventive Upgrades to Properties Increased Nearly 25 Percent in 2018, BuildFax Hurricane Recovery Report Reveals

Hurricane-related insured losses have skyrocketed over the past two years. Heading into 2019’s hurricane season, carriers face the challenging task of responding swiftly to claims, while also controlling loss creep, mitigating fraud, and managing property risk and exposure. It’s a tall order, but the right advanced data services can support these initiatives. Carriers who leverage... Read More