United States existing home sales rise 5.1% to 4.35M annualized in December
The increase marks a fourth straight monthly gain—the strongest since February 2023—while activity remains lower by 2.51 million (37%), despite reaching the highest level since March 2023.
Fact Check
The evidence overwhelmingly supports the statement's truthfulness. The primary source for this data, the National Association of Realtors (NAR), directly confirms the "5.1% increase in December" in its official news release and social media channels. Furthermore, multiple independent and highly authoritative secondary sources corroborate both key figures in the statement. A financial platform (TradingView) and a data aggregator (Trading Economics) explicitly report both the 5.1% increase and the 4.35 million annualized rate. Other reputable news outlets, such as CNBC and PBS News, also confirm the percentage increase. There is no conflicting information among the relevant sources provided; all evidence points to the same conclusion. The high authority of the primary source, combined with the strong and consistent corroboration from multiple secondary sources, establishes a high degree of confidence in the statement's accuracy.
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Summary
United States existing home sales increased 5.1% month over month (compared to prior month) in December to an annualized rate of 4.35 million, the highest level since March 2023. It was the fourth consecutive monthly increase and the strongest monthly gain since February 2023. Despite the rise, sales remain lower by 2.51 million, or 37%.
Terms & Concepts
- Existing home sales: A monthly measure of completed sales of previously owned homes, indicating housing market demand.
- Annualized rate: A figure converted to a 12-month pace, showing how activity would total if the current rate continued.
- Month over month (MoM): A comparison of a metric to the previous month to show short-term change.