Core Insights - The pending home sales index, which serves as a leading indicator for house sales based on contract signings, increased by 3.3% month-over-month in November, reaching a value of 79.2 [1] Group 1 - The increase in the pending home sales index suggests a potential uptick in housing market activity [1] - The current index level indicates a recovery trend in the housing market, which may influence future sales and pricing dynamics [1] - The month-over-month growth reflects positive sentiment among home buyers, potentially driven by favorable market conditions [1]

Core Insights - Existing-home sales increased by 1.2% in October to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.10 million, marking a 1.7% rise compared to the previous year, driven by lower mortgage rates [1][6] - The market is stabilizing at a higher level than seen in 2023, with softer mortgage rates and improved affordability contributing to this trend [6] Regional Breakdown - Northeast: Sales at 490k (0.0% change), median price at $503,700 (+6.5% YoY) [4] - Midwest: Sales at 990k (+5.3% change), median price at $319,500 (+4.6% YoY) [4] - South: Sales at 1.86 million (+0.5% change), median price at $362,300 (+0.3% YoY) [4] - West: Sales at 760k (-1.3% change), median price at $628,500 (+0.1% YoY) [4] National Market Statistics - Total housing inventory stands at 1.52 million units (down 0.7% from September, up 10.9% YoY) [7] - Median existing-home price is $415,200 (up 2.1% YoY) [7] - Average 30-year mortgage rate decreased to 6.25% from 6.35% in September [7] - First-time home buyer share increased to 32% from 30% last month [7]

Core Insights - Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes remained sluggish in August, with a slight decline of 0.2% from July, reaching a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4 million units, marking the slowest sales pace since June [1] - Year-over-year, sales rose by 1.8% compared to August of the previous year, exceeding economists' expectations of a 3.96 million pace [2] - The national median sales price increased by 2% in August from a year earlier, reaching $422,600, continuing a trend of annual price increases for 26 consecutive months [2] Market Trends - The U.S. housing market has been experiencing a sales slump since 2022, primarily due to rising mortgage rates from historic lows, with sales of previously occupied homes hitting their lowest level in nearly 30 years last year [3] - Although mortgage rates have been declining since late July, making home loans more affordable, they remain high for many Americans, limiting purchasing power after years of rising home prices [4]