Homes are selling at such an unusually rapid pace this summer that the only hiccup which could slow momentum into the fall is running out of houses to sell as inventory continues to shrink.
“We are witnessing a true V-shaped sales recovery as homebuyers continue their strong return to the housing market,” said Lawrence Yun, the NAR’s chief economist. “Home sellers are seeing their homes go under contract in record time, with nine new contracts for every 10 new listings.
”Pending home sales, which measure signed contracts to purchase existing homes, increased 5.9% in July compared with June, according to the National Association of Realtors. Sales were 15.5% higher annually
Yun said he does not expect sales to drop off in the historically slower fall season. He is predicting existing home sales to increase to a 5.8 million annualized pace in the second half of this year. That would bring the full-year total to 5.4 million, a 1.1% gain compared with 2019.
Advertisement
Related Stories
New-Home Sales
Mortgage Rates Are Up but New-Home Sales Still Solid in March
Lack of existing home inventory drove a rise in new-home sales, despite higher interest rates in March
Labor + Trade Relations
Who's Earning What in Construction
Workers in construction management roles may earn a higher median wage, but on average, lower-paid occupations have experienced somewhat faster wage growth
Build to Rent
Build-to-Rent Is Booming, Particularly in These Metros
A recent report finds that the Phoenix metro leads with more than 4,000 build-to-rent units completed in 2023, and Texas is the leading state for build-to-rent development