Builder confidence grows, housing market still has long way to go

Short term financing agencies may be called upon to aid an increasing amount of Americans, as the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index reveals home builder confidence for single-family homes in the United States has increased for the fifth straight month. According to the report, the index rose from 25 to 29 during February and is now double the rate during September of 2011. "Given the recent improvements in new home starts and the increasing number of markets included in the NAHB/First American Improving Markets Index, this consistency suggests that the housing market is moving toward more sustainable growth," Barry Rutenberg, chairman of the NAHB, said in a statement. Homeowners and homebuyers can use short term financing solutions to help them with payments such as monthly bills and property maintenance. David Crowe, chief economist for NAHB, said that the current growth in builder confidence represents the strongest improvement the market has experience since 2007. Still, the overall rate of confidence is relatively low compared to United States history, and issues such as foreclosures and low appraisals are hampering significant growth.