Red: two or more units e.g apartment block; Blue: single family homes

US housing starts rose in January to a higher level than expected in a signal that government support is helping to stabilise the property market. The extension and expansion of a homebuyer tax credit is expected to boost demand in coming months while builders will have to contend with rising foreclosures and a high unemployment rate.

Work began on 591,000 houses at an annual rate last month, up 2.8 percent from December, figures from the Commerce Department showed today in Washington. Permits/planning permissions fell less than anticipated after rising in December to the highest level since October 2008.

The US Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced the following new residential construction statistics for January 2010:

Building Permits

Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in January were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 621,000. This is 4.9 percent below the revised December rate of 653,000, but is 16.9 percent above the January 2009 estimate of 531,000.

Single-family authorizations in January were at a rate of 507,000; this is 0.4 percent above the revised December figure of 505,000. Authorizations of units in building with five units or more were at a rate of 96,000 in January.

Housing Starts

Privately-owned housing starts in January were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 591,000. This is 2.8 percent above the revised December estimate of 575,000 and is 21.1 percent above the January 2009 rate of 488,000.

Single-family housing starts in January were at a rate of 484,000; this is 1.5 percent above the revised December figure of 477,000. The January rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 100,000.

Housing Completions

Privately-owned housing completions in January were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 659,000. This is 12.4 percent below the revised December estimate of 752,000 and is 15.3 percent below the January 2009 rate of 778,000.

Single-family housing completions in January were at a rate of 427,000; this is 12.9 percent below the revised December rate of 490,000. The January rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 215,000.