The National Association of Home Builders has boosted its 1999 housing starts forecast to 1.627 million units.

Purchasing, July, 1999

The National Association of Home Builders has boosted its 1999 housing starts forecast to 1.627 million units, a gain over the record 1.622 million homes and apartments built in 1998. So far this year, housing starts are up in all parts of the country, Commerce reports. During the first five months of this year, 670,600 housing units were started compared with 613,100 units for the same period in 1998 (an increase of 9%).

Surveys find homebuilders optimistic about prospects for home sales through year-end. However, builders remain concerned about continuing shortages of skilled construction workers and shortages of such building materials as gypsum wallboard, insulation, and brick.