The figures from the US Census Bureau and the Department of Housing & Urban Development show a 19% rise from the January 2011 estimate.
Authorisations for single-family homes in January were at a rate of 445,000; this is 0.9% above the revised December figure of 441,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 208,000 in January.
Privately-owned housing starts in January were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 699,000. This is 1.5% above the revised December estimate of 689,000 and 9.9% above the January 2011 rate of 636,000. Single-family housing starts in January were at a rate of 508,000, represneting a 1% fall from the revised December figure of 513,000. The January rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 175,000.
Privately-owned housing completions in January were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 530,000, which is 12.0% below the revised December estimate of 602,000, but 4.1% above the January 2011 rate of 509,000. Single-family housing completions in January were at a rate of 389,000, which represents a fall of 14.9% from the revised December rate of 457,000. The January rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 136,000.
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