Print
Real Estate - Residential

Housing Shortage, Affordability Remain Concerns For Builders, Realtors

By Cece Nunn, posted Feb 28, 2020
Danuskha Nanayakkara-Skillington (from left) of the National Association of Home Builders, Nadia Evangelou of the National Association of Realtors and Amanda Hoyle, regional director for Metrostudy, spoke in Wilmington on Thursday. (Photo by Cece Nunn)

The rise of more apartments in the Wilmington area can be attributed in part to a housing shortage and affordability concerns that are also being felt nationwide, experts said Thursday.

The nation as a whole is dealing with a shortage of homes available to buyers in the amount of 5 million to 6 million dwellings, said Nadia Evangelou, senior economist and director of forecasting for the National Association of Realtors.

The Wilmington area faces the same shortage, Evangelou and others said at the 2020 Housing & Construction Forecast. The forecast was presented Thursday morning at The Terraces on Sir Tyler by the Wilmington-Cape Fear Home Builders Association and Cape Fear Realtors.

“We’re going to continue to see the rental product help to fill that void,” said Amanda Hoyle, regional director for Metrostudy whose territory also includes Raleigh/Durham and the Triad. 

She said that in the Wilmington area, multifamily building permits have accounted for 55% of the permits issued recently, while that statistic is 35% in the Triangle and 25% in Charlotte.

While home prices are on the rise, apartments might be a go-to for many residents in Wilmington, but they don’t come cheap either.

Hoyle pointed to an N.C. Housing Coalition report for New Hanover County. The report shows that with average rents nearing $1,000 for a modest two-bedroom apartment, a family would need to make about $40,000 a year to afford that lease, while the average renter can only afford a rent of $664 a month.

“Housing is affordable when it comprises no more than 30% of the family’s budget,” the report explains. “Families that spend more than this on housing are cost-burdened.”

According to the coalition, 32% of households -- about 30,000 -- in New Hanover County are cost-burdened.

Meanwhile, those who can afford to buy a home are choosing townhomes, said those on the panel, which also included Danuskha Nanayakkara-Skillington of the National Association of Home Builders.

While the share of townhomes in the market decreased slightly in the fourth quarter of 2019, from 13% to 12%,  “we do see this sector as having the largest growth potential because on the builder's side” townhomes are a lower-cost product, said Nanayakkara-Skillington.

Hoyle said, “I am seeing across the state more of an interest in the attached product -- townhomes and condos to a small degree.”

Ico insights

INSIGHTS

SPONSORS' CONTENT
Untitleddesign5

The Role of Vulnerability in Leadership

John Monahan - Vistage
Jasonpathfinder3

What You Need to Know About SECURE 2.0 and Its Effect on Retirement Plans

Jason Wheeler - Pathfinder Wealth Consulting
Untitleddesign2

The Importance of Real Estate Appraisals

Steve Mitchell - Cape Fear REALTORS®

Trending News

Conservation Group Signs $8M Deal To Buy The Point On Topsail Island

Audrey Elsberry - Mar 26, 2024

Rezoning Could Bring 123 Townhomes To Growing Leland Corridor

Emma Dill - Mar 25, 2024

N.C. Ports Officials React To Baltimore Bridge Collapse

Audrey Elsberry - Mar 26, 2024

Engineering Firm Hires Four Employees

Staff Reports - Mar 26, 2024

National Organization Bestows Top Award On Cape Fear Professional Women In Building

Staff Reports - Mar 26, 2024

In The Current Issue

Berries, A Battlefield And More In Pender

The N.C. Blueberry Festival, founded in 2003, is one of several events in Pender County that have drawn more attention over the years....


Park Progress

The planning for Pender Commerce Park began in the early 2000s when the county wanted to create an economic driver on its largely rural west...


Topsail-area Realtors Share Updates

Pender County Realtors recently shared updates about the coastal market at an event hosted by the Wilmington-Cape Fear Home Builders Associa...

Book On Business

The 2024 WilmingtonBiz: Book on Business is an annual publication showcasing the Wilmington region as a center of business.

Order Your Copy Today!


Galleries

Videos

2023 Power Breakfast: Major Developments