The inventory shortage apparently is helping push up prices following the worst housing slump since the Great Depression, Yun said. The national median price for a home resale rose to $182,600 in May, according to NAR. That's 7.9 percent higher than the same month one year ago, and the highest since June 2010. The last time the American housing market posted three consecutive monthly price increases, year over year, was March to May of 2006.
A report Thursday by the the Federal Housing Finance Agency also showed that U.S. home prices rose 0.8 percent in April from March in a sign of property-market stabilization, agency analysts contend.
Nationally, total housing inventory at the end of May dropped 0.4 percent to 2.49 million existing homes available for sale, NAR reported. That represents a 6.6-month supply of available homes at the current sales pace. In April, there was a 6.5-month supply.
Across the country, listed inventory is 20.4 percent lower than a year ago at this time, when a 9.1-month supply existed. Compare that to the peak of the market in July 2007 when unsold inventory hit a record of 4.04 million homes.
Housing market recovery on track, despite bumps - Economy Watch
A report Thursday by the the Federal Housing Finance Agency also showed that U.S. home prices rose 0.8 percent in April from March in a sign of property-market stabilization, agency analysts contend.
Nationally, total housing inventory at the end of May dropped 0.4 percent to 2.49 million existing homes available for sale, NAR reported. That represents a 6.6-month supply of available homes at the current sales pace. In April, there was a 6.5-month supply.
Across the country, listed inventory is 20.4 percent lower than a year ago at this time, when a 9.1-month supply existed. Compare that to the peak of the market in July 2007 when unsold inventory hit a record of 4.04 million homes.
Housing market recovery on track, despite bumps - Economy Watch