Finance1 min read

Home sales in the US are at their lowest level since 2016

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Previously owned home transactions fell 5.5 percent in October to an annual rate of 3.75 million units, marking the slowest pace since August 2010. High mortgage costs have depressed regional sales everywhere except the Northeast, where transaction volumes remained completely flat month-over-month. With the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaging 7.33 percent in October, first-time purchasers accounted for under a third of all purchases.

Key points

  • Elevated mortgage rates hovering above 7 percent continue to constrain national home purc…: Elevated mortgage rates hovering above 7 percent continue to constrain national home purchasing activity significantly.
  • Geographic sales declines were concentrated across the Midwest, South, and West, while th…: Geographic sales declines were concentrated across the Midwest, South, and West, while the Northeast remained unchanged.
  • America's 88 million existing homeowners maintain strong personal balance sheets bolstere…: America's 88 million existing homeowners maintain strong personal balance sheets bolstered by accumulated housing wealth.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

Home sales dropped 5.5 percent in October, the lowest level since August 2010.

Sales of previously owned homes in the US have hit the lowest level since 2010 as mortgage rates hover above 7 percent.

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) said on Thursday that home sales dropped 5.5 percent in October to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.75 million units. That was the lowest level since August 2010.

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“Home buying is difficult when mortgage rates have climbed to their highest levels since 2000, aside from a single month in 2023. As a result, home sales fell to their lowest level since August 2010,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun.

He said,…

Finance