What's Happening In The Market? April Updates Please note: this SFAR data is for March 2024 U.S. existing-home sales improved for the second month in a row, jumping 9.5% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.38 million units, exceeding economists’ expectations and marking the largest monthly gain in a year, according to the National Association of REALTORS®(NAR). The rebound in home sales comes amid fluctuating mortgage rates and elevated sales prices, indicating there is plenty of buyer demand heading into the spring selling season. New Listings were ..read more

What's Happening In The Market? March Updates Please note: this SFAR data is for February 2024 U.S. existing-home sales grew 3.1% month-over-month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.00 million, exceeding economists’ expectations and marking the strongest sales pace since August 2023, according to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). Falling interest rates late last year, coupled with a recent uptick in inventory, helped existing-home sales to climb following last month’s decline, with monthly gains reported in the Midwest, South, and West re ..read more

What's Happening In The Market? February Updates Please note: this SFAR data is for January 2024 U.S. existing-home sales slipped 1.0% month-over-month and were down 6.2% year-over-year as of last measure, while pending sales jumped 8.3% from the previous month, marking the largest gain since June 2020, according to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). Mortgage rates have dropped significantly from their peak last fall, and homebuyers are beginning to come out of the woodwork, with NAR forecasting a 13% increase in existing-home sales this year com ..read more

What's Happening In The Market? January Updates Please note: this SFAR data is for December 2023 U.S. existing-home sales rose from a 13-year low, climbing 0.8% from the previous month and breaking a five-month streak in which sales declined, according to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). Despite the increase, sales were down 7.3% compared to the same period last year, as affordability challenges continue to hinder prospective buyers. Most of this period’s closed sales went under contract in October, when mortgage rates were at a two-decade high ..read more

What's Happening In The Market? December Update Please note: this SFAR data is for November 2023 Low inventory, elevated sales prices, and decades-high interest rates continue to weigh on the housing market, causing sales of existing homes to fall to their slowest pace since August 2010. According to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), U.S. existing-home sales declined 4.1% month-over-month and 14.6% year-over-year as of last measure, as prospective buyers, faced with rising homeownership costs, wait for mortgage rates, and home prices, to drop. New Li ..read more

What's Happening In The Market? November Update Please note: this SFAR data is for October 2023 U.S. sales of existing homes recently fell to a 13-year low, dropping 2.0% month-over-month and 15.4% year-over-year as of last measure, according to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), as surging interest rates and elevated sales prices continue to make homeownership unaffordable for many prospective buyers. Purchase activity is down significantly compared to this time last year, but rising interest rates are also keeping many current homeowners from s ..read more

What's Happening In The Market? October Update Please note: this SFAR data is for September 2023 National sales of existing homes recently fell to a 7-month low, as surging borrowing costs, rising sales prices, and limited inventory continue to keep many would-be buyers out of the market. Borrowers have become increasingly sensitive to fluctuations in mortgage rates, which have remained above 7% since mid-August. With fewer buyers able to afford the costs of homeownership, existing-home sales declined 0.7% month-over-month and were down 15.3% year-over-yea ..read more

What's Happening In The Market? September Update Please note: this SFAR data is for August 2023 Higher mortgage rates, along with elevated sales prices and a lack of housing inventory, have continued to impact market activity during the summer homebuying season. The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has remained above 6.5% since May, recently hitting a two-decade high in August, according to Freddie Mac. As a result, existing-home sales have continued to slow nationwide, dropping 2.2% month-over-month as of last measure, with sales down 16.6% compared to ..read more

What's Happening In The Market? August Update Please note: this SFAR data is for July 2023 Affordability constraints have continued to limit homebuying activity this summer, with existing-home sales falling 3.3% month-over-month nationwide as of last measure, according to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). Mortgage rates have approached 7% in recent months, leading many prospective buyers to put their home purchase plans temporarily on hold. But higher rates have also kept many existing homeowners from listing their homes for fear of giving up th ..read more

What's Happening In The Market? July Update Please note: this SFAR data is for June 2023 Temperatures are heating up, yet the U.S. housing market remains cooler than usual for this time of year due to a combination of low inventory and higher borrowing costs, which have restricted market activity going into the summer homebuying season. According to the latest data from the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), national existing-home sales climbed 0.2% from the previous month but were down 20.4% compared to the same time last year, as fluctuating mortga ..read more