Haver Analytics
Haver Analytics
Global| May 25 2006

U.S. Existing Home Sales Decline As Expected

Summary

The National Association of Realtors reported that April total existing home sales declined 2.0% m/m to 6.760M following little change in March that was little revised. The gain was in line with Consensus expectations for 6.78M sales. [...]


The National Association of Realtors reported that April total existing home sales declined 2.0% m/m to 6.760M following little change in March that was little revised. The gain was in line with Consensus expectations for 6.78M sales. Sales of single-family homes fell 2.0% after a slight March dip. The data cover sales closed in the latest and previous months, and contrast to the new home sales data which count sales at the signing of a contract. Sales declines were widespread throughout the country. In the Northeast, sales reversed all of the prior month's gain with a 4.5% drop (-3.4% y/y). Sales in the Midwest more than reversed the prior month's gain and fell 3.4% (-4.1% y/y). In the South sales fell 0.8% (-2.4% y/y) for the third consecutive monthly drop and sales in the West were unchanged (-12.8% y/y). The median price of an existing single-family home rose 2.5% (4.3% y/y). Prices are not seasonally adjusted.

The latest release from the National Association of Realtors is available here.

Existing Home Sales (000, AR) April March Y/Y 2005 2004 2003
Total Home Sales  6,760 6,900 -5.7% 7,064 6,722 6,176
  Single Family Home Sales 5,920 6,040 -5.6% 6,170 5,912 5,443
Single Family Median Home Price (000) $222.7 $217.2 4.3% $206.3 $182.8 $169.1
  • Prior to joining Haver Analytics in 2000, Mr. Moeller worked as the Economist at Chancellor Capital Management from 1985 to 1999. There, he developed comprehensive economic forecasts and interpreted economic data for equity and fixed income portfolio managers. Also at Chancellor, Mr. Moeller worked as an equity analyst and was responsible for researching and rating companies in the economically sensitive automobile and housing industries for investment in Chancellor’s equity portfolio.   Prior to joining Chancellor, Mr. Moeller was an Economist at Citibank from 1979 to 1984.   He also analyzed pricing behavior in the metals industry for the Council on Wage and Price Stability in Washington, D.C.   In 1999, Mr. Moeller received the award for most accurate forecast from the Forecasters' Club of New York. From 1990 to 1992 he was President of the New York Association for Business Economists.   Mr. Moeller earned an M.B.A. in Finance from Fordham University, where he graduated in 1987. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from George Washington University.

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