by Calculated Risk on 4/22/2014 10:00:00 AM

The NAR reports: Existing-Home Sales Remain Soft in March

Total existing-home sales, which are completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, slipped 0.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.59 million in March from 4.60 million in February, and are 7.5 percent below the 4.96 million-unit pace in March 2013. Last month’s sales volume remained the slowest since July 2012, when it was 4.59 million.

Total housing inventory at the end of March rose 4.7 percent to 1.99 million existing homes available for sale, which represents a 5.2-month supply at the current sales pace, up from 5.0 months in February. Unsold inventory is 3.1 percent above a year ago, when there was a 4.7-month supply.

Click on graph for larger image.

This graph shows existing home sales, on a Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate (SAAR) basis since 1993.

Sales in March (4.59 million SAAR) were slightly lower than last month, and were 7.5% below the March 2013 rate.

The second graph shows nationwide inventory for existing homes.

According to the NAR, inventory increased to 1.99 million in March from 1.90 million in February.   Inventory is not seasonally adjusted, and inventory usually increases from the seasonal lows in December and January, and peaks in mid-to-late summer.

The third graph shows the year-over-year (YoY) change in reported existing home inventory and months-of-supply. Since inventory is not seasonally adjusted, it really helps to look at the YoY change. Note: Months-of-supply is based on the seasonally adjusted sales and not seasonally adjusted inventory.

Inventory increased 3.1% year-over-year in March compared to March 2013.   This year-over-year increase in inventory suggests inventory bottomed early last year.

Months of supply was at 5.2 months in March.

This was slightly above expectations of sales of 4.56 million.  For existing home sales, the key number is inventory - and the key story is inventory is still low, but up year-over-year.    I'll have more later ...