Total existing-home sales including single-family and condo, were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6.24 million units in the fourth quarter, down 10.1 percent from a 6.94 million-unit level in the fourth quarter of 2005.  Even with the general decline, six states showed increases in the sales pace from a year ago and one was unchanged.  Complete data for three states were not available.

In the fourth-quarter, metro area single-family home prices, examining changes in 149 metropolitan statistical areas, show 71 areas had price gains from a year earlier, including 14 metros with double-digit annual increases, and 73 areas had price declines; five were unchanged.

David Lereah, NAR’s chief economist, said it appears the fourth quarter was the bottom for the current housing cycle.  “This information confirms 2006 was the year of contraction, and hopefully the fourth quarter was the bottom of this current business cycle,” he said.  “Home sales are leveling at historically high levels, and examination of data within the quarter shows home prices stabilizing toward the end.  When we get the figures for this spring, I expect to see a discernable improvement in both sales and prices.”

The national median existing single-family home price was $219,300 in the fourth quarter, down 2.7 percent from a year earlier when the median price was $225,300.  The median is a typical market price where half of the homes sold for more and half sold for less.  For all of 2006, the median price rose 1.4 percent to $222,000.

A new comparison of annual single-family home prices in metropolitan areas shows that typical sellers experienced healthy gains on the value of their home over the last five years in almost all 131 available areas, even in areas with recent price declines.

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