本文原载于 Inman.com

Housing markets all across the U.S. are suffering from serious shortages of homes for sale, and this isn’t expected to change in the foreseeable future.

When I think about inventory levels and the fact that demand is clearly outstripping supply, it makes me question why homebuilders aren’t stepping up to the plate to meet all this pent-up demand.

有趣的是，有几个阻碍建设者的障碍，我认为值得进一步讨论。

According to my calculations, since 2008, builders have started construction of new 独栋房屋 at an average annual rate of about 594,000 units per year. 作为背景，1963年至2007年间，新屋开工的平均年增长率超过110万套，所以悦博体育已经落后一段时间了。

尽管新屋开工数量已从2009年的历史低点35.3万套上升至83.5万套，但仍远低于满足新住户需求的水平。

Since 2009, new housing supply has consistently fallen short of 新增住房需求. 2011年住房缺口最大，达到46.5万套，到2015年累计缺口达到220万套。

目前，我估计，为了满足需求，每年所需的住房供应量可能在110万套左右； however, housing completions as of May were running at an annual rate of just 817,000 — far below what is needed.

为什么会这样呢？ 简单的答案是，建造一个新房子是非常昂贵的。

建造新房的费用基本上可以分为三个部分：土地、劳动力和材料。

土地

Let’s start with land, which is expensive, and it is 非常 expensive in markets where land availability is scarce (either because of unique topography or political limitations — or both).

在经济快速增长并吸引更多新居民的市场，这种情况进一步加剧。

Another hindrance is the cost of obtaining a building permit, which is remarkably high, thanks to 政府规定, and can account for almost 25% of the final price of a new single-family home.

劳动

第二件要考虑的事情是劳动力。 随着房地产市场进入大衰退（Great Recession），许多建筑工人被解雇，此后再也没有回来。

In fact, my calculations indicate there are currently over 200,000 职位空缺 in the construction industry, and this lack of supply combined with high demand for labor, has led to rising labor costs.

材料成本

最后是材料成本。 The cost of homebuilding materials have risen by almost 5% due to high demand and low supply. 从用于布线的铜到用于框架的木材，一切都在以相当快的速度升级。

所有 of this combined makes it 非常 expensive to build homes — especially affordable homes.

In fact, the 全国房屋建筑商协会 stated back in 2015 that it is difficult to build a home anywhere in America for less than $300,000. 然后再考虑到，2016年售出的所有新房中，只有4%的价格低于15万美元，而在美国西部，只有6%的价格低于20万美元。

在价格较低的市场中，情况尤其紧张，这显然反映了一个事实，即新建的入门级住宅越来越少。

Between 2004 and 2016, completions of smaller 独栋房屋 (under 1,800 square feet) fell from nearly 500,000 units to only 136000年. 同样，2016年建造的联排别墅数量（9.8万套）不到2005年开工数量的一半。

It is clear that we need more housing solutions to address the shortages out there, but it won’t be easy.

From a builder’s perspective, they cannot change material costs, nor can they force workers into the construction industry.

然而，他们能做的和需要做的是，尝试改变政府的政策，以更好地解决许可费、连接费、影响费等问题。 如果这些成本可以降低，我相信许多建筑商将有能力以相当戏剧性的方式增加活动。

考虑到增加新房供应对市场的长期健康是多么重要，我希望NAHB在国家层面和地方层面的各种房屋建筑商协会所做的努力，在不久的将来开始看到积极的结果。

为了悦博体育的房地产市场，悦博体育需要让建筑商更容易做他们最擅长的事情：建造房屋。