Home sales dipped in December despite a year of robust growth and the strongest housing market in a decade according to the National Association of REALTORS®. Affordability concerns, depleted inventory levels and interest rate increases seen in November have affected certain prospective home buyers, contributing to the modest cooling trend.
Interest Rates
According to Freddie Mac, 30-year fixed rates ticked back down from 4.30 percent to 4.19 percent, reflecting a holding pattern as the Federal Reserve and other financial institutions wait for indications of future fiscal policy enacted by Congress and the Trump Administration.
Home Sales
The National Association of REALTORS® reported home sales at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of approximately 5.5 million homes during the month of December. This was a decrease of 2.8 percent from November, and an increase of 0.7 percent from December of last year.
Home Prices
The median home price decreased to $232,200 in December, which was down 0.9 percent from November and up 4.0 percent from December of last year. The median home price has increased by approximately $9,000 in the past year alone.
Inventory
There was a 3.6-month supply of housing inventory in December, which was a 7.7 percent decrease from November. The total number of homes for sale decreased by 7.7 percent compared to December of last year.