The median price of a new home rose a
record-breaking 11.2 percent in August, reaching $256,000. That marks
the highest level since March 2007, the U.S. Census Bureau reported
Wednesday.
The price of new homes in August soared 17 percent compared to last year at this time.
The number of new-homes that sold in higher price ranges — $400,000 or more — rose significantly in August.
As prices rose, inventories of new homes in August remained at record
lows. It would take 4.5 months to clear the houses on the market at
August’s sales pace, the Census Bureau reported.
Single-family home sales mostly held steady in August, remaining at
two-year highs. Sales slipped 0.3 percent to a seasonally adjusted
annual rate of 373,000.
"Looking at the big picture, sales have been trending gradually upward
since the middle of last year as favorable interest rates and prices
have driven more consumers to get back in the market for a newly built
home."says Barry Rutenberg, NAHB chairman.
Source: “New Home Sales Ease, But Prices Hit 5-Year High,” Reuters (Sept. 26, 2012) and the National Association of Home Builders