Pending Home Sales Rose 1.6% in February

Washington, DC, March 28, 2024-The Pending Home Sales Index rose 1.6% to 75.6 in February, according to the National Association of Realtors. Year over year, pending transactions were down 7.0%. An index of 100 is equal to the level of contract activity in 2001.

"While modest sales growth might not stir excitement, it shows slow and steady progress from the lows of late last year," said NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun. "Ongoing job gains are clearly increasing demand along with more inventory."

The Northeast PHSI decreased 0.3% from last month to 63.4, a decline of 9.0% from February 2023. The Midwest index soared 10.6% to 81.6 in February, down 2.5% from one year ago.

The South PHSI rose 1.1% to 89.5 in February, falling 8.5% from the prior year. The West index fell 6.5% in February to 57.1, down 7.9% from February 2023.

"The high-cost regions in the Northeast and West experienced pullbacks due to affordability challenges," added Yun. "Home prices rising faster than income growth is not healthy and adds challenges for first-time buyers."

Yun further noted, "There will be a steady rise in inventory from recent growth in home building. Additionally, many sellers, who delayed listing in the past two years, will begin to put their homes on the market to move to a different home that better fits their new life circumstances – such as changes in family composition, jobs, commuting patterns and retirees wanting to be closer to their grandkids."