Several months back I blogged about how the housing market was going to be the main driver for the US economy, and fortunately for every homeowner, this has come to fruition.
The National Association of Realtors reported that sales of existing homes in May increased 9.2% from the same month for the prior year and new home sales soared 20% from a year ago to the highest level in 7 years!
Last month’s S&P/Case- Shiller Home Sale Price Index Report of March 2015 posted a 5% gain year over year. In Addition the April data released June 30th reported the 20 city index increased 4.9% year over year with a 1% gain month over month.
All 20 cities that made up the composite, increased in April before seasonal adjustments, with 12 cities up after said adjustments. “Home prices continue to raise across the country, but the pace is not accelerated”, quoting David M. Blitzer, Managing Director & Chairman of the Index Committee at S&P Dow Jones Indices. S&P/Case-Shiller Composite are a 20 city analysis which is widely referred to for national home prices.
First time home buyers made up 32% of all sales in May, a considerable leap from the 27% from the prior year, but still have room to grow back to prior averages. The ability to qualify for mortgages is an important factor in this environment as is rate increases. Consensus is that interest rates will rise in 2015 after being held at near zero rates, but the increases are expected to be at digestible amounts.
All things considered, a continued slow and steady ascend looks to be the trajectory of the US Housing Market for 2015.