Pending Home Sales in U.S. Dip in July

According to the National Association of Realtors, pending U.S. home sales fell in July 2019, reversing course on two consecutive months of gains. Of the four major regions, each reported a drop in contract activity, although the greatest decline came in the West.

The Pending Home Sales Index, forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, decreased 2.5% to 105.6 in July, down from 108.3 in June. Year-over-year contract signings fell 0.3%, doing an about-face of the prior month's increase.

"Super-low mortgage rates have not yet consistently pulled buyers back into the market," said Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist. "Economic uncertainty is no doubt holding back some potential demand, but what is desperately needed is more supply of moderately priced homes."

Yun expects GDP growth to ease to 2.0% in 2019 and 1.6% in 2020, but growth predictions are somewhat uncertain due to trade tensions. With slower economic growth, interest rates will remain low. Though home sales will get a short term boost from lower mortgage rates, existing home sales are likely to be flat at 5.34 million in 2019 given the level of sales in the first seven months of the year. Amid tight inventory conditions, the median price of existing home sales will continue increasing, but at a slower pace of 4% in 2019, to $269,000, and 3% in 2020, to $278,500.

Low inventory numbers impact the nation's overall economy, according to Yun. "A boost to home building would greatly improve economic growth," he said. "More free market prices on construction materials without government interference about where homebuilders have to get their supply will also help produce more and grow the economy. The housing industry cannot grow without more supply."

July Pending Home Sales Regional Breakdown 

All regional indices are down from June 2019. The PHSI in the Northeast fell 1.6% to 93.0 in July and is now 0.9% lower than a year ago. In the Midwest, the index dropped 2.5% to 101.0 in July, 1.2% less than July 2018.

Pending home sales in the South decreased 2.4% to an index of 122.7 in July, but that number is 0.1% higher than last July. The index in the West declined 3.4% in July to 93.5 but still increased 0.3% above a year ago.