January's adjusted annual rate for privately owned housing starts was 890,000, down 8.5 percent from the revised December estimate but up 23.6 percent from January 2012, according to the U.S. Dept. of Commerce. Single-family starts were at a rate of 613,000, just 0.8 percent above December, but 23.6 percent above January 2012.
Building permits for privately owned housing units were at a seasonally adjusted rate of 925,000 in January. This is 1.8 percent above the revised December rate of 909,000, and 35.2 percent above last January's rate. Single-family permits reached 584,000, 1.9 percent above December's rate of 573,000.
The rate of completions on privately owned housing in January was 724, a full 6 percent above December's adjusted rate. Single-family completions were at a rate of 565,000.
