Housing market

U.S. Homebuilder Confidence Soars to 7-Year High in June

The majority of U.S. homebuilders view conditions in the industry as favorable for the first time since the start of the housing crisis seven years ago, with an industry report showing confidence in the sector surged in June.

Home Prices Posted Best Gain in 7 Years in January

U.S. home prices jumped in January, a sign the housing market is gaining momentum as it nears the spring selling season. Home prices rose 9.7 percent in January from a year ago, according to data released Tuesday by CoreLogic. That's up from an 8.3 percent increase in December and the biggest annual gain since April 2006.

U.S. New-Home Sales Jump to Highest in 4.5 Years

U.S. new-home sales jumped in January from the previous month to the highest level since July 2008, a sign that the housing recovery is accelerating. New-home sales rose nearly 16 percent in January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 437,000, the largest percentage increase in nearly 20 years.

Home Prices Post Healthy Gains in December

U.S. home prices rose at a healthy pace in December compared with a year ago, driven higher by rising sales and a smaller supply of available homes. The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller 20-city home price index rose 6.8 percent year over year, up from a 5.5 percent annual gain in November.

Midday Market Minute: Lowe's 4Q Net Income Tops Expectations

Home improvement retailer Lowe's Cos. credits cleanup efforts after Superstorm Sandy and its new pricing strategy for fourth-quarter earnings that surpassed Wall Street expectations, a sign that people are beginning to feel better about spending money on their homes as the housing market slowly recovers.

U.S. Home Sales Rise to 2nd-Highest Pace in 3 Years

U.S. sales of previously occupied homes rose in January to the second-highest level in three years, a sign the housing market is maintaining its recovery and helping to bolster the economy. The National Association of Realtors said Thursday that sales rose 0.4 percent in January compared with December.

U.S. Home Prices Continue To Climb In Nov.

U.S. single-family home prices rose in November, building on a string of gains that point to a housing market that is on the mend, data from the closely watched S&P/Case-Shiller Index showed on Tuesday. Prices in the 20 cities rose 5.5 percent year over year.

U.S. New-Home Sales Fell in Dec., Sales for Year Up

The housing market is back, but how strong will it be this year? New home sales were weaker than expected in December, down nearly eight percent from a year earlier. But the housing recovery for all of 2012 was surprisingly strong after the collapse that started four years earlier.

Wall Street's Week Ahead: Earnings, Housing and the China Question

This week will bring answers to questions that have hung over the market for months: Will slower growth in China put a dent in U.S. companies' income? Will new housing numbers come in strong enough to keep homebuilders flying high? How much did Superstorm Sandy cost insurers? Here's what to watch.

U.S. Pending Home Sales Rise to Highest in 2.5 Years

A measure of Americans who signed contracts to buy homes increased last month to its highest level in two and a half years, the latest sign of improvement in the once-battered housing market. The National Association of Realtors said Friday that its seasonally adjusted pending home sales index rose 1.7 percent in November from October to 106.4.

U.S. Home Prices Rise in October From a Year Ago

US home prices rose in most major cities in October compared with a year ago, pushed up by rising sales and a decline in the supply of available homes. Higher prices show the housing market is improving even as it moves into the more dormant fall and winter sales period.

Home Prices Rise in October by 6.3%, the Most in 6 Years

U.S. home prices rose 6.3 percent in October compared with a year ago, the largest yearly gain since July 2006. The jump adds to signs of a comeback in the housing market. But month-over-month, prices fell 0.2 percent in October from September, reflecting the end of the summer home-buying season.