More buyers appear to accept escalating home prices as long as mortgage rates stay lower, NAR data shows.
Existing-home sales accelerated in January as home buyers shrugged off rising home prices—which surged to an all-time high—and took advantage of lower mortgage rates and moderately higher inventory, according to the National Association of REALTORS®.
NAR’s latest existing-home sales data, which reflects completed transactions for single-family homes, townhomes, condos and co-ops, jumped 3.1% month over month in January. Still, sales are down 1.7% compared to a year earlier.
“While home sales remain sizably lower than a couple of years ago, January’s monthly gain is the start of more supply and demand,” says NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. “Listings were modestly higher, and home buyers are taking advantage of lower mortgage rates compared to late last year.”
Although there were 2% more homes on the market in January than ...