Nationwide housing production rose 2.8 percent above an upwardly revised February rate of 920,000 to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 946,000 units in March.

Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes rose one point on the Housing Market Index to 47 in April.

Trade-specific occupations represent 64 percent of all jobs in the residential construction industry, and carpenters represent almost half of those construction jobs.

Looks and low maintenance are the attributes homebuyers value most when sizing up their options for exterior design and materials.

Nationwide housing starts were virtually unchanged in February, inching down 0.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 907,000 units, according to data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau.

Builder confidence in the market for newly-built, single-family homes rose one point to 47 on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI).

The nationwide housing market is running at 87 percent of normal economic and housing activity, according to the LMI.

Sales of newly built, single-family homes rose 9.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 468,000 units in January from an upwardly revised pace of 427,000 units in the previous month.