New home sales in the US increased by 4.4% in July, outperforming expectations and highlighting the continued demand for new construction due to a shortage of existing affordable homes. Despite rising mortgage rates, buyers are turning to new homes, causing a decline in sales in the resale market. However, as mortgage rates continue to rise, builder sentiment may be negatively impacted and prices may need to be adjusted to attract buyers.
Mortgage rates topping 7% have led to a significant drop in mortgage applications for home purchases, with last week seeing the smallest volume in 28 years. The increase in rates, driven by concerns of high inflation, has priced out many potential buyers and contributed to low housing supply and high home prices. As a result, sales of previously owned homes have declined, and homeowners are reluctant to sell their properties due to the higher rates. Some buyers are turning to adjustable-rate mortgages to manage the increased costs.
Sales of existing homes have declined due to the rise in mortgage rates, but the demand for new homes is increasing as buyers are hesitant to sell their current homes with low-interest mortgages.
Homebuyers' purchasing power has been negatively impacted by rising mortgage rates, which averaged 7.2% in August, the highest level since 2001, resulting in a decline in existing home sales and a shift towards new-construction homes.
Pending home sales in the US rose by 0.9% in July, marking the second consecutive month of growth, despite high prices and increasing mortgage rates, with the rise attributed to an expanding job market and the potential for further increases given the number of failed offers; however, year-over-year pending transactions fell by 14%.
In August, the number of homes actively for sale decreased by 7.9% compared to the previous year, while the total number of unsold homes, including those under contract, decreased by 9.2%.
Average 30-year mortgage rates are still elevated at 6.94% in August, but they are expected to come down by the end of the year; however, a significant drop that will boost homebuying demand is not likely until 2024 or 2025, but there are advantages to buying a home even when rates are high, such as less competition.
US mortgage rates have decreased slightly for the second consecutive week, but they remain above 7%, causing home affordability to reach its lowest level in nearly four decades.
British house prices have fallen at the fastest pace since 2009, with a 4.6% decrease in the past year, due to the impact of higher interest rates, according to mortgage lender Halifax.
British house prices experienced the most widespread falls in 14 years in August due to weakened demand, high mortgage costs, and economic uncertainty, according to a survey conducted by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
The Greater Boston housing market experienced a slow month in August, with home sales dropping to their lowest point for the month since 2010, primarily due to higher interest rates and a shortage of available homes for sale, leading to increased competition and higher prices for buyers.
The pace of new construction in the housing market slowed in August due to high mortgage rates and weakening demand, with housing starts falling to the lowest level since 2020, although building permits increased month over month.
U.S. homebuilding fell to a three-year low in August due to higher mortgage rates, but permits for new construction increased, signaling support from a shortage of homes on the market.
Home prices continued to rise in August due to low inventory and high mortgage rates, causing a drop in home sales, according to a report from the National Association of Realtors.
The United States housing market has seen a 21 percent decline in previously occupied home sales over the past year, continuing the slowdown caused by rising interest rates, while prices continue to rise despite the decrease in sales, leading to a shortage of affordable homes and worsening home affordability for the foreseeable future.
Sales of previously owned homes in the US fell for the third consecutive month in August, as higher mortgage rates, rising prices, and a lack of available properties have limited homebuyers' options.
Homebuyers are making fewer deals in August due to rough housing conditions, and the situation may worsen with potential mortgage rate increases to 8%.
Home sales in the American Midwest defied the national trend by increasing in August, while sales across the country declined, due to high mortgage rates and low supply, according to data from the National Association of Realtors. Overall, home sales decreased by 0.7% in August and over 15% from the previous year, but analysts noted a stabilization in the market. The Midwest saw a 1% increase in home sales compared to July, but a more than 16% decline compared to the previous year.
Sales of newly built homes in the housing market decreased by 8.7% last month, indicating that higher mortgage rates are negatively impacting the industry.
Pending home sales in the US dropped 7.1% in August, following a surge in mortgage rates to levels not seen in 20 years, with all four US regions experiencing monthly losses and year-over-year declines in transactions.
As the US housing market starts to cool down, homebuyers are being presented with a good opportunity as more homes see price reductions, according to Zillow, with 9.2% of listings having a price cut in the week ending September 16, a higher rate than in 2019.
Home prices in the U.S. rose by 3.7% in August, with New England states experiencing the largest growth, while Western states saw declines in home prices; California had the highest median sales price, and CoreLogic predicts a 3.4% annual home-price growth by August 2024.
Mortgage rates are expected to fall in the coming months, offering homebuyers more affordability and potentially boosting the housing market.
Mortgage rates dropped at the end of the week, with the 30-year fixed-rate average at 8.07%, significantly lower than the previous week's historic high of 8.34%.
September saw a significant decline in home sales, with the lowest tally since 1995 and a 32 percent drop from the previous year, due to high interest rates and homeowners' reluctance to sell and move to a place with a higher monthly payment, leaving few options for prospective buyers.
Existing home sales are projected to hit their lowest levels since 2011, with sales expected to reach 4.1 million in 2023, causing buyers and sellers to face a stagnant market with decreasing offers and rising prices.
Home sales in the US dropped in September to the lowest level in 13 years due to rising interest rates and climbing home prices, making it unaffordable for many potential buyers. The low inventory of homes for sale pushed prices up, with the median price for existing homes reaching a record high of $394,300 last month.
U.S. existing home sales dropped 2% in September due to high mortgage rates and a shortage in housing supply, with prices falling slightly and the supply crunch being driven by the surge in mortgage rates over the past year.
Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes in September dropped to their slowest pace in over a decade due to surging mortgage rates and limited inventory, while home prices continue to rise.
Mortgage rates nearing 8% and a shortage of homes for sale are preventing potential homebuyers, particularly first-time buyers, from entering the market, leading to a 2% decrease in existing-home sales in September compared to the previous year.
Existing home sales fell to levels not seen since the Great Recession while prices remained high amid the highest mortgage rates in 23 years, signaling a slowdown in the housing market.
The US housing market is experiencing a significant decline in existing-home sales, with September seeing a 15% drop compared to the previous year, due to factors such as high mortgage rates, low inventory levels, and rising home prices.
If mortgage rates stay at their current level, home prices could drop by as much as 5% next year, according to Morgan Stanley, and if rates remain close to 8%, it could have an even more negative impact on home prices in the long term.
The housing market is facing significant challenges, with a 15% drop in home sales leading to a 13-year low, and economists predicting a "deep freeze" reminiscent of the Great Recession of 2010 or the housing recession of the 1980s, while Zillow has revised its forecast for home price growth downward due to higher mortgage rates.
Goldman Sachs predicts that sustained higher mortgage rates and tight supply will lead to a decline in homebuying activity and a fall in home prices by 0.8% this year, although home prices are expected to rise by 3.4% year-over-year; existing home sales are also projected to decrease to their lowest level since the early 1990s.
