by Calculated Risk on 4/25/2011 10:00:00 AM

The Census Bureau reports New Home Sales in March were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of 300 thousand. This was up from a revised 270 thousand in February.

Click on graph for larger image in graph gallery.

The first graph shows New Home Sales vs. recessions since 1963. The dashed line is the current sales rate.

Sales of new single-family houses in March 2011 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 300,000 ... This is 11.1 percent (±21.7%)* above the revised February rate of 270,000, but is 21.9 percent (±10.3%) below the March 2010 estimate of 384,000.

And a long term graph for New Home Months of Supply:

Months of supply decreased to 7.3 in March from 8.2 months in February. The all time record was 12.1 months of supply in January 2009. This is still higher than normal (less than 6 months supply is normal).

The seasonally adjusted estimate of new houses for sale at the end of March was 183,000. This represents a supply of 7.3 months at the current sales rate.

On inventory, according to the Census Bureau:

"A house is considered for sale when a permit to build has been issued in permit-issuing places or work has begun on the footings or foundation in nonpermit areas and a sales contract has not been signed nor a deposit accepted."

Starting in 1973 the Census Bureau broke this down into three categories: Not Started, Under Construction, and Completed.

This graph shows the three categories of inventory starting in 1973.

The inventory of completed homes for sale fell to 73,000 units in March. The combined total of completed and under construction is at the lowest level since this series started.

The last graph shows sales NSA (monthly sales, not seasonally adjusted annual rate).

In March 2011 (red column), 29 thousand new homes were sold (NSA). This is a new record low for the month of March.

The previous record low for March was 31 thousand in 2009. The high was 127 thousand in 2005.

Although slightly above the consensus forecast, this was a record low for March - and new home sales have averaged only 295 thousand SAAR over the last 11 months.