U.S. Existing-Home Sales Increased 7.0% in September; Northeast Sales Grew 5.5%

Existing-home deals rebounded in September after seeing deals wane the former month, according to the National Association of Realtors. Each of the four major U.S. regions witnessed increases on a month-over-month base. From a time-over-year timeframe, one region held steady while the three others each reported a decline in deals.

Total existing-home deals, completed deals that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, rose 7.0% from August to a seasonally acclimated periodic rate of 6.29 million in September. Still, deals dropped 2.3% from a time ago (6.44 million in September 2020). Existing-home deals in the Northeast grew 5.5% in September, posting a periodic rate of, a 8.3% drop from September 2020. The median price in the Northeast was up 9.2% from one time ago.

“Some enhancement in force during previous months helped nudge up deals in September,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s principal economist. “ Casing demand remains strong as buyers probably want to secure a home before mortgage rates increase indeed further coming time.”

Total casing force at the end of September amounted to 1.27 million units, down 0.8% from August and down 13.0% from one time ago (1.46 million). Unsold force sits at a 2.4-month force at the present deals pace, down 7.7% from August and down from 2.7% months in September 2020. The median living-home price for all casing types in September was up 13.3% from September 2020, as prices rose in each region. This marks 115 straight months of time-over-year increases.

“As mortgage forbearance programs end, and as homebuilders ramp up product — despite the force- chain material issues — we are likely to see further homes on the request as soon as 2022,” said Yun. Properties generally remained on the request for 17 days in September, unchanged from August and down from 21 days in September 2020. Eighty-six percent of homes vended in September 2021 were on the request for lower than a month.

First-time buyers reckoned for 28% of deals in September, down from 29% in August and 31% in September 2020. NAR’s 2020 Profile of Home Buyers and Merchandisers — released in late 2020 — revealed that the periodic share of first- time buyers was 31%.
“First-time buyers are hit particularly hard by the historically high home prices as they largely don't have the savings needed to buy a home or equity to neutralize such a purchase," said Yun.

Individual investors or alternate-home buyers, who regard for numerous cash deals, bought 13% of homes in September, down from 15% in August but over from 12% in September 2020. Each-cash deals reckoned for 23% of deals in September, over from both 22% in August and from 18% in September 2020. Worried deals — foreclosures and short deals — represented lower than 1% of deals in September, equal to the chance seen a month previous and equal to September 2020.

According to Freddie Mac, the average commitment rate for a 30- time, conventional, fixed- rate mortgage was 2.90% in September, over from 2.84% in August. The average commitment rate across all of 2020 was 3.11%.

Single-Family and Condo/ Hutch Deals

Single-family home deals dropped to a seasonally acclimated periodic rate of 5.59 million in September, up 7.7% from 5.19 million in August and down 3.1% from one time ago. The median existing single-family home price was up 13.8% from September 2020.
Existing condominium and hutch deals were recorded at a seasonally acclimated periodic rate of units in September, over 1.4% from in August and up 4.5% from one time ago.

“As casing laws change and new legislation is proposed, NAR remains loyal in its charge to promote and defend homeownership openings for all,” said NAR President Charlie Oppler, a Realtor from Franklin Lakes, NJ and the CEO of Prominent Properties Sotheby’s International Realty. “We continually work on behalf of consumers and our members to see force increased and insure homebuyer and homeowner rights are defended.”

Regional Breakdown

Existing-home deals in the Midwest rose 5.1% to a periodic rate of in September, a 2.7 drop from a time ago. The median price in the Midwest was a 9.1 increase from September 2020.

Existing-home deals in the South jumped 8.6 in September, recording a periodic rate of, unchanged from one time ago. The median price in the South was a 14.8 rise from one time ago.

Existing-home deals in the West climbed 6.5, registering an periodic rate of in September, down 3.0 from one time ago. The median price in the West was up 8.3 from September 2020.