Content about National Association of Realtors

The number of existing-home sales increased 0.6% in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.97 million, compared with an upwardly revised 4.94 million in March.

The figures were released Wednesday morning by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Sales remain below underlying demand because of limited inventory and tight credit, according to the NAR.

The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, slipped 0.4% to 104.8 in February from a downwardly revised 105.2 in January. The index is 8.4% higher than February 2012 when it was 96.6.

The metric remained, however, at the second highest level in nearly three years; and contract activity has been above year-ago levels for the past 22 months.

Existing-home sales edged up in January, while a seller's market is developing and home prices continue to rise steadily above year-ago levels, according to the National Association of Realtors.

Total existing-home sales increased 0.4% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.92 million in January from a downwardly revised 4.90 million in December, and are 9.1% above the 4.51 million-unit pace in January 2012.

Total existing-home sales declined 1.0% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.94 million in December from a downwardly revised 4.99 million in November, according to the National Association of Realtors. They are 12.8% above the 4.38 million-unit level in December 2011. 

The preliminary annual total for existing-home sales in 2012 was 4.65 million, up 9.2% from 4.26 million in 2011. It was the highest volume since 2007 when it reached 5.03 million. 

A chorus of voices is giving hope to the housing industry, which is starting to show signs of recovery. Demand for housing, as measured by pending home sales, was at a two-year peak in October, according to the National Association of Realtors. Builders broke ground on 894,000 housing units that same month, their fastest pace in four years, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), which surveys its members every month, declared that its Builder Confidence Index hit its highest level in November since May 2006.

September existing-home sales declined modestly, according to the National Association of Realtors. Inventory continued to tighten and the national median home price recorded its seventh back-to-back monthly increase from a year earlier.  

Total existing-home sales fell 1.7% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.75 million in September from an upwardly revised 4.83 million in August, but are 11.0% above the 4.28 million-unit pace in September 2011.

Sales of existing single-family homes, condominiums and co-ops rose 2.3% in July to an adjusted annual rate of 4.47 million, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, fell 1.4% to 99.3 in June from a downwardly revised 100.7 in May but is 9.5% higher than June 2011 when it was 90.7, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). The data reflect contracts but not closings.

The index marks 14 consecutive months of year-over-year gains.

Sales of newly built, single-family homes declined 8.4% in June 2012 compared with the previous month, reaching an annual rate of 350,000 units, according to figures from the U.S. Census Bureau. 

The bad news follows similar numbers from the National Association of Realtors, which reported last week that completed sales transactions of single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops declined 5.4% in June 2012 compared with May.

Numbers released today by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) showed continued gains in-existing home prices but a slower market for sales. Completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops declined 5.4% in June compared with May. In year-over-year figures, June 2012 was 4.5% higher than June 2011.

Sales of existing single-family homes, condominiums and co-ops declined 1.5% to an adjusted annual rate of 4.55 million in May, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

Limited supplies of housing inventory held back existing-home sales, according to the NAR, but sales were up 9.6% over the same month last year.

The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, rose 4.1% to 101.4 in March from an upwardly revised 97.4 in February and is 12.8% above March 2011 when it was 89.9, according to the National Association of Realtors. The data reflect contracts but not closings.

The index is now at the highest level since April 2010 when it was 111.3.