The seasonally adjusted annual pace of new single-family home sales in the U.S. fell to 313,000 in February, down 1.6 percent from a revised rate of 318,000 in January but 11.4 percent above the 281,000 pace recorded in February 2011.
Preliminary U.S. new home sales (versus pace) in January were estimated to be 25,000 (give or take 9 percent), up 3,000 from January, the second slowest February on record since 1963. January sales peaked in 2005 with 109,000 new homes sold.
In the West, the pace of new home sales was up 32.8 percent year-over-year to 81,000 in January, up 8.0 percent versus the month before.
∙ New Residential Sales: January 2012 [census.gov]
∙ New Residential Sales Since 1963 [census.gov]
∙ U.S. New Home Sales: Up 3.5% In January Year-Over-Year [SocketSite]