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Existing Home Contracts Down in February

Posted Apr 8, 08 1:00 PM CDT in Business 

(Newser) – Contracts to buy previously owned homes declined 1.9% in February, according to the National Association of Realtors’ index, which fell to its lowest levels since its creation in 2001. The drop was nearly double the 1% decline analysts predicted, reports Bloomberg, and sent stocks tumbling further.

“Looking for a bottom in housing is a little premature,” said one economist. “Prices are likely to come down, and we expect that to continue for some time.” The South was hardest hit, with a 5.5% drop, while the Northeast actually saw a 3.2% increase and the West improved 2.1%. Inventories are at a 9-month supply.

Source Bloomberg

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Signs advertising two houses for sale and one for rent compete for attention Tuesday, March 25, 2008 in Tacoma, Wash.   (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
A house for sale sign, photographed in Jackson, Miss., March 25, 2008.   (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
A house for sale at a reduced price is seen in Albany, N.Y., Tuesday, March 25, 2008.   (AP Photo/Mike Groll)
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housing market  • housing  • home resales  • existing home sales  • home values


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