Existing-home sales highest since 2009

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Existing-home sales rose in May to the highest pace since November 2009, when buyers were rushing to make a tax-credit deadline, pointing to a continuing recovery, the National Association of Realtors reported Thursday.

Existing-home sales rose 4.2% in May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.18 million. These sales were 12.9% higher than during the same period in the prior year. Economists polled by MarketWatch had expected the pace of existing-home sales to hit a rate of 5 million in May, compared with an April rate of 4.97 million.

Meanwhile, the median existing-home price hit $208,000 in May, the highest since 2008, with low inventory supporting prices. The median price is up 15.4% from the same period in the prior year, the largest growth since 2005.

Inventories rose 3.3% in May to 2.22 million existing homes for sale. The supply of existing homes declined to 5.1 months at May’s sales pace from 5.2 months at April’s sales pace. The share of the sales accounted for by distressed properties and first-time buyers remained low in May.

Analysts say the housing market’s gains over the past year could have been even larger if inventories were greater. Still, economists expect housing demand to continue to grow along with the greater economy.

As home prices continue to rise, more buyers are likely to be able and willing to put their homes on the market. Rising prices also induce buyers to bid before prices get too high. However, NAR said prices are rising too quickly, and more construction is needed.

Ongoing low interest rates have been fueling demand. In recent weeks these rates have trended higher, though there was a recent decline. While rising rates will curb demand among some buyers, they could also spur others to quickly enter the market to take advantage of high affordability.

Despite their recent climb, rates remain relatively low, as Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke pointed out Wednesday.

“In terms of monthly payments on an average house, the change in mortgage rates we’ve seen so far is not all that dramatic,” Bernanke said at a press conference following the central bank’s decision to leave policy unchanged.

Indeed, Americans’ views on the housing market recently hit a multi-year high, with large shares saying that now is a good time to buy and sell homes. However, recent price gains don’t necessarily signal that real estate is a good long-term investment, according to Yale economist and housing expert Robert Shiller.

For more related topics, visit Real Estate Investment 101.

Related Posts

  1. Existing home sales sank to slowest pace in 30 years in 2023
  2. Home prices kept climbing even as existing home sales tanked last month
  3. US pending home sales stuck at 22-year low despite dip in rates
  4. Housing market data suggests sector’s downturn ‘coming to an end’
  5. Landlords pumped billions into apartment buildings during the pandemic. That bet could now go horribly wrong.
  6. Home prices could jump 5% in the next 12 months as high mortgage rates freeze the housing market, Zillow economists say
  7. Homebuilders are liking today’s housing market

Tags: ,

Leave a Reply