First Ever Twin Cities Home Builders Survey

Leaders in the Twin Cities single-family-home-construction industry are “slightly optimistic” about market conditions for the coming year.

The 35 industry leaders were asked to assign a number of zero to 100 for each of the six questions. A midpoint score of 50 is neutral; scores higher than 50 indicate a more favorable outlook and scores lower than 50 indicate a more pessimistic outlook.  The survey also provides a composite score, or overall average, for the six questions.

The first survey, conducted in December 2015, produced a composite index of 53. David Siegel, BATC’s executive director, believes the survey results will offer the industry useful insights and predictions over time.

“Coming off a flat 2015 for the home building industry, this is a great sign that our builders are optimistic for brighter year ahead,” said Siegel. “Our initial survey results reflect optimism in some areas and pessimism in others, and we hope our members use this information to stay ahead of trends and issues.”

“The industry leaders we will poll each quarter are actively engaged in studying both the demand and supply side of the housing market,” said Herb Tousley, director of real estate programs at the University of St. Thomas. “Since they are involved in creating new housing units and adjusting supply-to-demand conditions, these individuals are close to the actual changes taking place in the market.”