The National Association of Realtors (NAR) recently reported that pending home sales increased in April for the fourth consecutive month and reached their highest peak in nine years. The steady gains in contract activity each month this year highlight the fact that buyer demand is strong
“Homeowners looking to sell this spring appear to be in the driver’s seat, as there are more buyers competing for a limited number of homes available for sale,” Lawrence Yun chief economist from NAR.
“The housing market can handle interest rates well above 4 percent as long as inventory improves to slow price growth and underwriting standards ease to normal levels so that qualified buyers—especially first-time buyers—are able to obtain a mortgage,” Yun adds.
Realtors expect for total existing-home sales in 2015 to be around 5.24 million, an increase of 6.1 percent from 2014. The national median existing-home price for all of this year is expected to increase around 6.7 percent. In 2014, existing-home sales declined 2.9 percent and prices rose 5.7 percent.