Surprising Surge in Existing Home Sales Highlights Market Resilience
In a surprising turn of events, sales of existing homes in the U.S. jumped 9.5% in February from January, reaching 4.38 million units on a seasonally adjusted annualized basis. This significant increase, as reported by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), defied housing analysts’ expectations of a slight drop, showcasing an unexpected resilience in the housing market.
Despite a year-over-year decrease of 3.3%, this February marked the largest monthly gain since the previous year, highlighting a robust recovery in certain regions. The West experienced the most dramatic increase with a 19.4% surge, followed closely by the South with a 16.4% rise. The Northeast, however, saw no change, indicating regional disparities in housing market dynamics.
Lawrence Yun, the chief economist at NAR, attributed this growth to an increase in housing supply which is beginning to meet the rising market demand fueled by steady population and job growth. “The actual timing of purchases will be determined by prevailing mortgage rates and wider inventory choices,” Yun noted, pointing out the critical factors influencing future market trends.
Inventory levels also saw an uplift, with a 10.3% increase from last year, bringing the total to 1.07 million homes available for sale at the end of February. Despite this growth, the supply remains tight with just a 2.9-month supply at the current sales pace, underscoring the ongoing imbalance between supply and demand in the housing market.
The median home price continued its upward trajectory, increasing by 5.7% from last year to $384,500. This marks the eighth consecutive month of annual gains, fueled by high demand and competitive market conditions where 20% of homes sold above the listing price.
Interestingly, the rise in home sales did not translate to increased participation by first-time buyers, who represented only 26% of purchases, a decline from 28% in January and well below the historical norm of around 40%. The prevalence of all-cash purchases, which increased to 33% from 28% the previous year, suggests a significant influence of wealthier consumers and possibly those relocating from more expensive states like California to more affordable markets such as Florida or Georgia.
Yun also speculated that factors like the stock market’s performance and the acceptance of higher mortgage rates as a ‘new normal’ might be influencing these trends. With the 30-year fixed mortgage rate now over 7%, the dynamics in the housing market continue to evolve, influenced by broader economic factors.
This surge in existing home sales provides a complex picture of a housing market that is simultaneously grappling with tight supply, rising prices, and shifting consumer behaviors. As the market continues to adjust to economic pressures and demographic shifts, the landscape of U.S. housing remains a critical area to watch.
