The housing market saw strong growth in 2016, with housing starts reaching their highest level since 2007 and new and existing home sales reaching their highest annual pace since 2007 as well. However, building permit growth has been flat, raising doubts about the sustainability of construction growth. Inventory of existing homes declined to 3.6 months of supply, the lowest level seen in seventeen years, while home prices continued to climb across the country according to housing indices. Overall the building products and materials industry outperformed the S&P 500 over the past year.
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