Drop in U.S. April Home Resales Shows Persistent Inventory Woes
April purchases fell in three of four regions, led by a 5% decrease in the South.
(Bloomberg) -- A larger-than-projected decline in April sales of previously owned homes from a 10-year high indicates the residential real estate market remains constrained by a lack of inventory, National Association of Realtors data showed Wednesday.
Highlights of Existing Home Sales (April) |
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Key Takeaways
While inventory shortages are keeping home prices elevated and crimping affordability, plenty is working in favor of Americans looking to make the big purchase. Steady job growth and brighter wage prospects are cushioning household budgets, and mortgage rates remain historically low, having eased from a post-election surge.
In fact, properties in April were on the market for 29 days, the shortest timeframe since the NAR began tracking the figures in May 2011. The data are in line with the pace of new-home sales, which account for about 10 percent of the residential market and which eased last month from the strongest rate in almost a decade.
Economist Views
“A lack of inventory makes it very challenging for first-time buyers to get into the market,” Danielle Hale, NAR’s managing director of housing research, said at a press briefing accompanying the report. “Price growth is still outpacing income growth, and rents remain quite high. Low supply is hinting at another home-price gain in 2017.”
Other Details
- April purchases fell in three of four regions, led by a 5 percent decrease in the South; sales also dropped in the West and Northeast
- At the current pace, it would take 4.2 months to sell the homes on the market, compared with 3.8 months in March and 4.6 months a year ago; Realtors group considers less than a five months’ supply as consistent with a tight market
- Single-family home sales decreased 2.4 percent last month to an annual rate of 4.95 million
- Purchases of condominium and co-op units fell 1.6 percent to a 620,000 pace
- First-time buyers made up 34 percent of all sales in April, compared with 32 percent the prior month
- Homes sold in 29 days, compared with 34 days in March and 39 days in April 2016
--With assistance from Jordan Yadoo
To contact the reporter on this story: Michelle Jamrisko in Washington at mjamrisko@bloomberg.net.
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Scott Lanman at slanman@bloomberg.net, Vince Golle