The US Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced Wednesday that privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in October were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,080,000. This is 4.8 percent (±1.3 percent) above the revised September rate of 1,031,000 and is 1.2 percent (±1.2 percent) above the October 2013 estimate of 1,067,000. Single-family authorizations in October were at a rate of 640,000; this is 1.4 percent (±1.2 percent) above the revised September figure of 631,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 406,000 in October.
Privately-owned housing starts in October were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,009,000. This is 2.8 percent (±10.0 percent) below the revised September estimate of 1,038,000, but is 7.8 percent (±8.7 percent) above the October 2013 rate of 936,000. Single-family housing starts in October were at a rate of 696,000; this is 4.2 percent (±8.8 percent) above the revised September figure of 668,000. The October rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 300,000.
Privately-owned housing completions in October were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 881,000. This is 8.8 percent (±14.7 percent) below the revised September estimate of 966,000, but is 8.1 percent (±13.0 percent) above the October 2013 rate of 815,000. Single-family housing completions in October were at a rate of 585,000; this is 7.4 percent (±9.5 percent) below the revised September rate of 632,000. The October rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 289,000.