Real Estate Market

Sources for Statistics: The Main Reporting Agencies for Housing Market Figures

by Amy Lillard

(6/26/2012) Every day it seems there is another statistic released about the housing market. Whether the numbers are pointing to recovery or a deeper dive, the statistics come from a few key organizations. Who are these organizations behind housing statistics? They represent a wide variety of agencies from the private and public sector.

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): Designed as the federal agency responsible for strengthening the housing market, this organization releases:

• Quarterly publications that aggregate data on U.S. housing market conditions

Census Bureau: In addition to population and demographic stats, this bureau also releases information on housing statistics, including:

• Quarterly reports on price indexes for new homes
• Monthly sales estimates and inventories for new homes
• Estimates of the total number of housing units
• Monthly estimates of building permits, housing starts, and housing completions

Federal Housing Finance Agency: This agency is the regulator and conservator of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and the regulator of the 12 federal home loan banks. It releases:

• Reports on home prices nationwide and in specific states and metropolitan areas.
• Monthly average mortgage rates

Freddie Mac: Formed by the federal government to stabilize the nation's residential mortgage markets and expand opportunities for homeownership and affordable rental housing. Provides:

• Quarterly house price indexes
• Weekly average mortgage commitment rates (calculated from Freddie Mac's weekly Primary Mortgage Market Survey)

Bureau of Economic Analysis: Designed to promote a better understanding of the U.S. economy, it provides:

• Annual estimates of the total value of residential fixed assets
• Quarterly estimates for residential fixed investments

PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS
S&P/Case-Shiller: Often cited in housing market news, this agency is a leader of financial-market intelligence. It releases:

• Monthly home price indexes for 20 main metropolitan areas
• Quarterly index for the country as a whole

Mortgage Bankers Association: The national association representing the real estate finance industry, providing:

• Weekly volume measures of mortgage applications
• Weekly average mortgage commitment rates by mortgage product

National Association of Realtors: The largest trade association in the U.S., this organization provides:

• Monthly and quarterly mean and median prices for existing homes and condos.
• Monthly housing affordability indexes for all home buyers and first-time buyers
• Monthly sales volumes by region and across the country

National Association of Home Builders. Representing home builders and associated housing workers, this organization conducts:

• Monthly survey of home builders that reports on builder confidence
• Quarterly survey of remodeling activity

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