U.S. Pending Home Sales Further Slip in September, Says NAR

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According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), U.S. pending home sales cooled in September 2015 for the second straight month and to their second lowest index reading in 2015. All four major regions experienced a pullback in activity in September.
 
The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, declined 2.3 percent to 106.8 in September from a slightly downwardly revised 109.3 in August but is still 3.0 percent above September 2014 (103.7). With last month's decline, the index is now at its second lowest level of the year (103.7 in January), but has still increased year-over-year for 13 straight months.
 
Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, says a combination of factors likely led to September's dip in contract signings. "There continues to be a dearth of available listings in the lower end of the market for first-time buyers, and Realtors in many areas are reporting stronger competition than what's normal this time of year because of stubbornly-low inventory conditions," he said. "Additionally, the rockiness in the financial markets at the end of the summer and signs of a slowing U.S. economy may be causing some prospective buyers to take a wait-and-see approach."
 
Despite contract activity softening from the more robust levels seen earlier this year, Yun believes the housing market will still likely be one of the brighter spots in the economy in coming months.
 
"With interest rates hovering around 4 percent, rents rising at a near 8-year high, and job growth holding strong - albeit at a more modest pace than earlier this year - the overall demand for buying should stay at a healthy level despite some weakness in the overall economy."
 
The PHSI in the Northeast fell 4.0 percent to 89.6 in September, but is still 3.9 percent above a year ago. In the Midwest the index declined 2.5 percent to 104.7 in September, but remains 4.3 percent above September 2014.