National Association of Realtors

Pending Home Sales Hit 3-Year High; Supply Dwindles

Contracts to buy previously owned U.S. homes rose to their highest level in three years in April, but a shortage of properties for sale could slow down the momentum.

Existing Home Sales Edge Down as Prices Rise

U.S. home resales edged downward in March, pointing to some slowdown in the housing market recovery pace as overall economic activity cools.

5 Winners and Losers of the Week in Business

From a happy homebuilder to an embarrassed yoga gear retailer, here's a rundown of this week's big wins and toughest misses in the business world.

Done Cheering for Home Sales? Here's What's Really Going On

The housing market is improving, but there are still some troubling signs out there. Here's what's happening in local markets around the country.

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. 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.

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.

Mortgage Interest Tax Deduction Battle Brews as 'Fiscal Cliff' Looms

Lawmakers of both parties are hunting for ways to raise tax revenue as part of a deal to avert the fiscal cliff. But they should stay away from touching the mortgage interest tax deduction, warns the U.S. housing industry, lest they throw a wrench the long-sputtering economic recovery.

Are You Better Off Than You Were Four Years Ago?

It's the question every incumbent up for reelection has had to answer since challenger Ronald Reagan first posed it to President Jimmy Carter in 1980. But in this 2012 campaign, the answer is not so simple, for all the rhetoric on both sides.

U.S. Home Sales Jump to Highest Level Since May 2010

U.S. sales of previously occupied homes jumped in August to the highest level in more than two years, adding momentum to the housing recovery. Sales rose 7.8 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.82 million, the National Association of Realtors said.

5 Reasons Why the Housing Market Recovery Won't Last

Home prices have finally started to inch higher. Builders are growing revenues again. But hold your applause: It may be too early to start calling this an actual housing recovery.

Contracts to Buy U.S. Homes Hit 2-Year High in July

Americans signed the most contracts to buy homes in July than at any other point in the last two years, further evidence of a housing recovery.

Rise in US Home Sales Reflects Steady Improvement

Americans bought more homes in July than in June, the latest evidence that the housing market is slowly, but steadily, improving. Sales of previously occupied homes rose 2.3 percent in July.

Do You Have More Debt Than the Average American?

A new study shows that individual debt is falling at the fastest rate in nearly 50 years. But not everyone is contributing positively to that statistic, and many Americans are still struggling with overwhelming debt.

Look Who's Buying America Now!

While Americans are still reeling from the housing bust, people from around the globe are scooping up cheap American homes. Over the 12 months that ended in March, nearly 9% of all real estate spending in the U.S. was done by buyers from abroad. Is it "Rising Sun" all over again?

Sold! Contracts to Buy Homes Jump to 2-Year High

Americans signed more contracts to buy previously occupied homes in May, matching the fastest pace in two years. The increase suggests home sales will rise this summer and the modest housing recovery will continue.

Initial Jobless Claims Hit a 5-Week High

The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits rose last week to a five-week high, evidence that the job market remains sluggish. The Labor Department said Thursday that weekly applications for unemployment aid rose 10,000 to a seasonally adjusted 383,000.

6 Simple Reasons Why You Shouldn't Buy a Home

Houses are cheap. Interest rates are low. And the economy is improving. Even Warren Buffett says that housing might be the best investment today. So should you run out and buy a home? Not necessarily.

KB Home: Why This Homebuilder Will Never Be Great Again

Most homebuilders saw their shares pop higher Tuesday after heavyweight Lennar released better-than-expected quarterly numbers -- but not KB Home. In fact, its shares actually fell. Here's why KB isn't invited to the housing recovery party.

Home Sales Rose 4.3% in January: Is It Time to Buy?

The National Association of Realtors reported this week that sales of existing homes rose 4.3% in January, their third rise in four months. But there are other housing trends to consider that are much more telling than a modest uptick in sales.

Three Key Rules for Today's Housing Market

Some recent reports on the real estate market show home prices starting to stabilize in many areas. Other data suggests the housing market has further to fall. But whichever direction the numbers are heading, there are few tenets that smart buyers and sellers should always follow.

November Home Sales Take Small Step Forward

Housing remains in a slow, but uncertain recovery, as existing-home sales increased a less-than-expected 5.6% last month, to a 4.68-million-unit annual rate. At least, home sales rose in every U.S. region, and inventories fell.

Housing 2011: Unsettled, Underwater, Unsold

Sales agreements for previously occupied homes rose 10.4 % in October. But that one spark of hope comes against a backdrop of declining prices, bulging inventories and ongoing legal issues around foreclosures. Don't count on a real estate recovery next year.

Pending Home Sales Rebound Strongly

Aided by an improving job market and comparatively low mortgage rates, U.S. pending home sales surged a record 10.4% in October. Still, the latest new- and existing-home sales reports suggest a sluggish housing recovery at least into early 2011.

Existing-Home Sales Slid 2.2% in October

Sales of existing homes were hit with their first monthly decline since July as October sales fell 2.2% to a seasonally adjusted 4.43 million-unit annual rate. However, the drop isn't too surprising, given the usual seasonal cooling of home sales in the fall.

Pending Home Sales Drop Points to Uneven Recovery

Pending home sales in the U.S. unexpectedly fell 1.8% in September, the National Association of Realtors reported Friday. It was the statistic's first decline in three months, and one that suggests that the housing sector's recovery is likely to remain uneven through at least early 2011.