二手房屋銷售是反映美國房地產市道的資料，雖然其重要性要遜色於新屋動工和建造許可證這兩個資料，由於房地產在經濟活動的重要性實在太大，我們有必要全方位瞭解其動向。而次按對二手房屋市場及經濟的影響有多深，這個數字可以帶給我們更全面的圖畫。在2007年12月31日所發佈內容如下
Total existing-home sales - including single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops - rose 0.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate1 of 5.00 million units in November from an upwardly revised pace of 4.98 million in October, but are 20.0 percent below the 6.25 million-unit level in November 2006.
Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said the market appears to be stabilizing. "Near term, existing-home sales should continue to hover in a narrow range, just as they have since September, and that's good news because it'll be a further sign that the housing market is stabilizing," he said. "Mortgage interest rates are near historic lows and the most current data shows decelerating price declines, along with a modest reduction in the number of homes on the market." Disruptions in mortgage availability and pricing peaked in August, which caused sales to slow in subsequent months.
The national median existing-home price2 for all housing types was $210,200 in November, down 3.3 percent from November 2006 when the median was $217,300, but there remains a downward drag on the national median as the mix of closed sales has shifted away from expensive markets.
"Just like the weather, there are large local variations in home prices," Yun said. A quarterly examination of price performance on a metropolitan basis shows nearly two-thirds of metro areas are showing price increases. Among the many metros experiencing healthy local price gains are Farmington, N.M.; Reading, Pa.; Columbia, S.C., and Fargo, N.D.
Total housing inventory declined 3.6 percent at the end of November to 4.27 million existing homes available for sale, which represents a 10.3-month supply3 at the current sales pace, down from a 10.7-month supply in October. "Inventory is still high, and further reduction in prices may be required in some areas to induce buyers back into the market," Yun said.
NAR President Richard Gaylord, a broker with RE/MAX Real Estate Specialists in Long Beach, Calif., said that Congress should expand affordable financing. "Consumers have some choices with safer conventional financing, but raising the limit on conforming loans would significantly revive home sales," he said. "This would help creditworthy buyers in hard hit regions like California and Florida by greatly increasing access to low-interest-rate mortgages. NAR, as the leading advocate for homeownership, strongly urges lawmakers to act quickly on this important measure."
According to Freddie Mac, the national average commitment rate for a 30-year, conventional, fixed-rate mortgage fell to 6.21 percent in November from 6.38 percent in October; the rate was 6.24 percent in November 2006.
Single-family home sales rose 0.7 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.40 million in November from 4.37 million in October, but are 19.9 percent below the 5.49 million-unit pace in November 2006. The median existing single-family home price was $208,700 in November, down 3.7 percent from a year earlier.
Existing condominium and co-op sales slipped 1.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 600,000 units in November from 610,000 in October, and are 20.6 percent below the 756,000-unit level in November 2006. The median existing condo price4 was $221,100, down 0.7 percent from in November 2006.
Regionally, existing-home sales in the West increased 10.3 percent in November to a level of 960,000, but are 25.0 percent below a year ago. The median price in the West was $325,800, which is 6.8 percent lower than November 2006.
In the Midwest, existing-home sales were unchanged at an annual rate of 1.18 million in November, but are 16.9 percent below November 2006. The median price in the Midwest was $163,000, down 0.5 percent from a year ago.
Existing-home sales in the South declined 2.0 percent to an annual rate of 1.99 million in November, and are 19.4 percent below a year ago. The median price in the South was $174,200, which is 2.5 percent below November 2006.
Existing-home sales in the Northeast fell 3.3 percent to an annual pace of 870,000 in November, and are 19.4 percent below November 2006. The median price in the Northeast was $258,300, down 3.2 percent from a year ago.
The National Association of Realtors®, "The Voice for Real Estate," is America's largest trade association, representing more than 1.3 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.
這份由全美房地產經紀人協會所提供的報告並非如標題所言二手銷售走向穩定。實情是所有銷售數字和去年同期相比有大約20%的下降，而售價和去年同期相比則有0.7%至3.7%的下跌。經紀人一般傾向唱好，但實情是市場萎縮，市價下滑。美國樓市正陷入冰河期。除非大幅减息超過0.75%，市場或者會走穩。
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