Haver Analytics
Haver Analytics
Global| Oct 27 2011

U.S. Pending Home Sales Are Depressed

Summary

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that pending sales of existing single-family homes fell 4.6% last month to the lowest level since April. A 0.4% rise had been expected by Bloomberg. For all of Q3, sales were roughly [...]


The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported that pending sales of existing single-family homes fell 4.6% last month to the lowest level since April. A 0.4% rise had been expected by Bloomberg. For all of Q3, sales were roughly even with the Q2 average but remained well below earlier highs. The m/m September decline was due to lower sales throughout the country.

Pending home sales figures are analogous to the new home sales data from the Commerce Department in that they measure existing home sales when the sales contract is signed, not at the time the sale is closed. The series dates back to 2001 and the data is available in Haver's PREALTOR database.


Pending Home Sales (2001=100)  Sep Aug Jul Y/Y % 2010 2009 2008
Total 84.5 88.6 89.7 6.4 89.4 94.5 87.0
  Northeast 60.6 63.6 67.5 3.9 71.6 76.6 73.5
 Midwest 71.5 76.2 79.1 12.2 80.3 88.6 81.1
 South 91.6 96.9 94.4 5.0 97.0 98.0 89.8
 West 105.8 108.1 110.8 5.6 100.8 109.3 99.4
  • 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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