Tag Archives: Realtors

Pending sales of existing homes fell a bit further in October, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). The trade group's Pending Home Sales Index is a forward-looking indicator; derived from contract signings, rather than closed sales, pending sales figures typically lag actual sales by one to two months. October's reading was the lowest recorded by NAR since last December and marked the fifth consecutive monthly decline.

Existing-home sales translate to an annual rate of 5.12 million at the October sales pace, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). October's sales volume was down 3.2 percent from September and marked the second consecutive month of declining transactions. NAR blames low inventory, diminished buying power from rising prices and interest rates, and a restrictive credit environment for the drop in sales.

If you are a human being in the United States, chances are you know about the Affordable Care Act (ACA). But do you really know about the ACA? Strange as it might sound, as a Realtor or other small business owner working in the industry, it is important that you do. There is a large amount of diversity when it comes to the employment situations of those working in the mortgage and real estate sectors, and this guide takes a look at just what the law means in each of those situations.

Speaking at the 2013 Realtors Conference & Expo, National Association of Realtors (NAR) chief economist Lawrence Yun predicted steadiness in existing-home sales over the next year as prices continue to ascend. Yun expects existing-home sales to rise by about 10 percent in 2013 to reach 5.13 million. The national median existing-home price is projected to end this year at about $197,000, 11 percent higher than in 2012.

Technology is ever-evolving, and it's transforming the real estate industry, generating volumes of information about how people approach and conduct real estate transactions. To help Realtors understand and interpret these trends, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) hired Todd Carpenter to fill a newly created position, managing director of data analytics.

Builders lowered prices and buyers responded in August, pushing new home sales up 7.9 percent to 421,000, reversing almost half of July’s 64,000 drop in sales, the Census Bureau and Department of Housing and Urban Development reported Wednesday. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg expected June sales to rise to 425,000 from July’s originally reported 394,000.

Existing home sales rose an unexpected 6.5 percent in to an annual sales rate of 5.48 million, the highest level since August 2007 ten months before the onset of the Great Recession -- the National Association of Realtors reported Thursday. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg expected existing home sales to drop to 5.

America's Homeowner Alliance announced this week that it is officially open for membership. Launched by a team of industry veterans led by Phil Bracken and guided by an advisory board made up of representatives from the housing industry, prominent consumer groups, and fair housing organizations, America's Homeowner Alliance is the first nationally organized group dedicated to protecting and promoting sustainable homeownership for all segments of America.

In July, sales of single-family homes and condominiums in Illinois reached 16,012--the highest level since August 2006, the Illinois Association of Realtors reported. The total represents a 28.5 percent increase from July 2012. The median price of a home in Illinois also shot up, increasing 14.2 percent year-over-year to $169,000, IAR reported.

Led by multifamily activity, new housing permits and starts rose in July with new construction, continuing a shift from single-family homes. The Census Bureau and HUD reported Friday builders broke ground on new homes at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 896,000 units, up 5.9 percent from June, and filed permits for construction of 943,000 new units, up 2.7 percent from June. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg had expected the pace of total starts to increase to 900,000 and total permits to increase to 918,000.