Steel Markets

New Home Sales Fall in October

November 25, 2016

Sales of new single-family houses fell 1.9 percent in October to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 563,000 units compared to a downwardly revised SAAR of 574,000 units for September. According to the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the rate was 17.8 percent above the October 2015 estimate of 478,000.

The median sales price of new houses sold in October 2016 was $304,500; the average sales price was $354,900. The seasonally adjusted estimate of new houses for sale at the end of October was 246,000, representing a supply of 5.2 months at the current sales rate.

“Though slightly down from last month, new home sales have been on an upward trend since last year,” said Ed Brady, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

“Builders are adding to inventory based on consistent gains in sales, solid builder confidence and ongoing job and economic growth,” said NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz.

Regionally, new home sales fell 9.1 percent in the Northeast, 13.7 percent in the Midwest and 3 percent in the South and increased 8.8 percent in the West.