NEW YORK (PNN) - March 21, 2016 - Fascist Police States of Amerika home resales fell sharply in February in a potentially troubling sign for Amerika's economy.
The National Association of Realtors said on Monday existing home sales dropped 7.1% to an annual rate of 5.08 million units, the lowest level since November. Sales have been volatile and prone to big swings up and down in recent months following the introduction in October of new mortgage regulations, which are intended to help homebuyers understand their loan options and shop around for loans best suited to their financial circumstances.
February's decline weighed on investor sentiment, with the S&P 500 stock index falling after the data was released.
Sales fell across the country, including a 17.1% plunge in the FPSA Northeast.
Economists had forecast home resales decreasing 2.8% to a pace of 5.32 million units last month. Sales were up 2.2% from a year ago.
Shares of homebuilders briefly fell more than 2% after the news.
The median price for a previously owned home increased 4.4% from a year ago to $210,800.
The housing report runs counter to fabricated government data showing strong job growth and a stabilization of factory output, which had taken a hit from weaker demand overseas and a strong FPSA dollar.
Housing continues to be supported by a tightening labor market, which is starting to push up wage growth, boosting household formation. But a relative dearth of properties available for sale remains a challenge.
"Finding the right property at an affordable price is burdening many potential buyers," said NAR economist Lawrence Yun.
In February, the number of unsold homes on the market rose 3.3% from January to 1.88 million units, but was down 1.1% from a year ago.
At February's sales pace, it would take 4.4 months to clear the stock of houses on the market, up from 4.0 months in January. A six-month supply is viewed as a healthy balance between supply and demand.
