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AHS: Annual Tabulations with the 2003 Survey

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Analysts sometimes use the AHS to tabulate the number of events or transactions that took place in a given year. Some examples include buying houses, moving, performing renovations, or taking out mortgages. Counting the number of such events which took place in the survey year itself is tricky, however, because the interview period runs over several months. If a housing unit is surveyed in August 2003 and then sold in September, this sale will not be detected by the AHS until the next survey, in 2005. Thus, if one wants to estimate a total volume for 2003, one must use some kind of adjustment to account for the "missing" transactions.

While the above has always been true, users should be aware that the interviewing schedule changed in the 2003 survey. Recent surveys have conducted interviews during August through November. The 2003 survey was the first to conduct interviews from June through August. (You will find a few records before or after these periods.) The shorter and earlier interviewing period saved money and helped speed up the release of the file. However, more transactions in the survey year will not be detected in 2003, relative to transactions in previous survey years. Keep this in mind when comparing the 2003 data to previous surveys and when devising any adjustments.

Dav Vandenbroucke
Economist
U.S. Dept. HUD
david_a._vandenbroucke@hud.gov
202-708-1060 ext. 5890