WASHINGTON—Existing-home sales were up 11.5% in January compared to January of 2009, but down 7.2%from December 2009, according to data from the National Association of Realtors®.

In January, 5.05 million single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums, and co-ops sold, compared to 5.44 million in December. That’s 11.5% above the 4.53 million-unit level in January 2009.

There is still some delay between shopping and closing that affected current sales, said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. “Most of the completed deals in January were based on contracts in November and December. People who got into the market after the homebuyer tax credit was extended in November have only recently started to offer contracts, so it will take a couple months to close those sales,” he said. “Still, the latest monthly sales decline is not encouraging, and raises concern about the strength of a recovery.”

Total housing inventory at the end of January fell 0.5% to 3.27 million existing homes available for sale, which represents a 7.8-month supply at the current sales pace, up from a 7.2-month supply in December. Raw unsold inventory is 9.6% below a year ago, and is at the lowest level since March 2006.

“Activity should be picking up strongly in late spring as buyers take advantage of the tax credit, which is critical to absorb distressed properties reaching the market and to continually chip away at inventory,” Yun said. “With a downtrend in the number of homes on the market, especially in the lower price ranges, values are beginning to firm but with great variance around the country.”

The national median existing-home price for all housing types was $164,700 in January, unchanged from a year earlier. Distressed homes, which accounted for 38% of sales last month, continue to downwardly distort the median price because they typically are discounted in comparison with traditional homes in the same area.

First-time buyers purchased 40% of homes in January, down from 43% in December, according to a parallel NAR practitioner survey. Investors accounted for 17% of transactions in January, up from 15% in December; the remaining sales were to repeat buyers. The survey also shows that buyer traffic increased 9.4% in January.
                     
Buying a home in the current environment has become more challenging, said NAR President Vicki Cox Golder, owner of Vicki L. Cox & Associates, Tucson, Ariz. “First-time buyers and others who need a mortgage are increasingly losing out to all-cash investors for the best bargains in many areas, particularly for foreclosed homes where cash is king,” she said.

Single-family sales

Single-family home sales fell 6.9% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.43 million in January from a level of 4.76 million in December, but are 8.6% above the 4.08 million pace set in January 2009. The median existing single-family home price was $163,600 in January, down 0.4% from a year ago.

Condo sales

Existing condominium and co-op sales dropped 8.1% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 620,000 in January from 675,000 in December, but are 38.1% above the 449,000-unit level posted a year ago. The median existing condo price was $172,400 in January, which is 1.4% higher than January 2009.

Northeastern U.S. home sales

Regionally, existing-home sales in the Northeast fell 10.9% to an annual pace of 820,000 in January but are 22.4% above a year ago. The median price in the Northeast was $245,300, a gain of 8.8% from January 2009.

Midwestern U.S. home sales

Existing-home sales in the Midwest declined 6.9% in January to a level of 1.08 million but are 8.0% higher than January 2009. The median price in the Midwest was $130,300, which is 1.0% below a year ago. 

Southern U.S. home sales

In the South, existing-home sales dropped 7.4% to an annual pace of 1.87 million in January but are 12.0% above a year ago. The median price in the South was $140,200, down 2.0% from January 2009.

Western U.S. home sales

Existing-home sales in the West declined 5.2% to an annual rate of 1.28 million in January but are 7.6% higher than January 2009. The median price in the West was $203,400, down 5.8% from a year ago.

Source: NAR

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