By the Numbers
The average median home size varies drastically across the country, according to American Home Shield’s 2022 American Home Size Index.
The National Association of REALTORS® expects existing-home sales to close 2022 15.2% lower compared to 2021, thanks to economic uncertainty and rising mortgage rates.
Sales of new homes in the U.S. jumped 28.8% between July and August, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The median existing-home price for all housing types in August was $389,500, a 7.7% rise from the year before.
New-home construction posted a 12.2% month-over-month increase in August, thanks in large part to a significant jump in multifamily building.
A continuing combination of increased interest rates, supply-chain disruptions and high home prices has sapped homebuilder sentiment every month this year.
Mortgage applications declined 1.2% during the week ended Sept. 9, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey.
The modest 1% decline could indicate the current housing cycle is reaching a bottom as mortgage rates recede from their recent high, the National Association of REALTORS® said.
The median price of a new home sold during the month was up 5.9%, however, according to figures from the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Nationally, the median sales price slid 2.9% from June but rose 8.1% from July 2021, while closed transactions were down 16.6% on a monthly basis and 26.3% on a yearly one, RE/MAX said in its National Housing Report.
A recent decline in mortgage rates could return some purchasing power to buyers going forward, National Association of REALTORS® chief economist Lawrence Yun said.
The pace of housing starts for both single-family and multifamily residences was down on a month over month basis, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reported.
The NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index fell for the eighth straight month in August, as the key measure of builder confidence indicated a pessimistic outlook.
Home prices were up 17.6% in Denver on a year-over-year basis, compared to 18.3% nationwide, CoreLogic reported, citing its Home Price Index.
“Contract signings to buy a home will keep tumbling down as long as mortgage rates keep climbing, as has happened this year to date.” — National Association of Realtors chief economist Lawrence Yun
At the same time, the inventory of new homes for sale rose 10.7%, the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reported.