US builders start 1 million homes in March, most in nearly 5 years, led by apartment surge

WASHINGTON – U.S. builders broke ground in March on homes as a seasonally adjusted rate of 1.04 million — the fastest pace in nearly five years — on a surge in apartment construction. The gain signals further strength in the housing market ahead of the spring-buying season.

The Commerce Department says builders increased their construction pace last month 7 per cent from February. The gain was driven by a 31.1 per cent in volatile apartment construction.

Still, single-family home construction, which represents nearly two-thirds of the market, fell 4.8 per cent March. That’s down from a nearly five-year high in February.

Applications for building permits, considered a good barometer of future construction, declined 3.9 per cent to an annual rate of 902,000.