According to the Commerce Department, US new homes (as opposed to existing homes) sold at an annual rate of 1.42 million in October, up from a revised 1.26 million pace in September; a 13 percent increase and the biggest jump since April 1993 (and sales in the West showed more than a 40 percent jump).
At the same time, “the average price fell from September, suggesting that new homes at the upper end of the market had shown more softness than middle- and lower-priced homes.” A point that led economist Robert Brusca to comment, “All other housing signs are in the other direction. For now consider this a reversible, rogue report.”
We offer two words to consider: Builder Incentives (i.e. discounting).
∙ New home sales soar [CNN/Money]
∙ US Existing Homes Sales Down, Inventory Up [SocketSite]