Existing-Home Sales Slide in December; 2016 Sales Best Since 2006 #realestate #homeownership

Source:  National Association of Realtors

Existing-home sales closed out 2016 as the best year in a decade, even as sales declined in December as the result of ongoing affordability tensions and historically low supply levels, according to the National Association of Realtors.

Total existing-home sales, which are completed transactions that include single-family homes, town-homes, condominiums and co-ops, finished 2016 at 5.45 million sales and surpassed 2015 (5.25 million) as the highest since 2006 (6.48 million).

In December, existing sales decreased 2.8 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.49 million in December from upwardly revised 5.65 million in November.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said the housing market's best year since the Great Recession ended on a healthy but somewhat softer note.  "Solid job creation throughout 2016 and exceptionally low mortgage rates translated into a good year for the housing market," he said.  "However, higher mortgage rates and home prices combined with record low inventory levels stunted sales in much of the country in December."

Added Yun, "While a lack of listings and fast rising home prices was a headwind all year, the surge in rates since early November ultimately caught some prospective buyers off guard and dimmed their appetite or ability to buy a home as 2016 came to an end."

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