Seasonally adjusted count of new starts comes in at 254,966 units in July, compared with 283,498 in June
Increase in residential permit activity ends three straight quarterly declines
The monthly increase was the largest in a decade
High inflation remains the top issue for businesses, survey finds
The federal housing agency predicted home prices, sales will see year-over-year declines in 2023
Affordability may become an even bigger issue as housing starts lag immigration numbers
In this economic cycle, national home prices could fall 25% from their peak, BMO says