LOS ANGELES (AP) — The spring homebuying season is off to a sluggish start as home shoppers contend with elevated mortgage rates and rising prices. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell 4.3% in March from the previous month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.19 million, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday. That’s the first monthly decline in sales since December and follows a nearly 10% monthly sales jump in February. Existing home sales also fell 3.7% compared with March last year. The latest sales still came in slightly higher than the 4.16 million pace economists were expecting, according to FactSet. A modest pullback in mortgage rates early this year helped lift home sales in January and February, but rates mostly ticked up in February and March, when many of the home sales that were finalized last month would have taken place. |
Prince Louis birthday portrait taken by Kate Middleton is released on day he turns 6Paris mayor is confident that water quality will allow Olympic swimming in the River SeineGoFundMe expands into Mexico as part of forGirl, nine, is taken to hospital with lifeStarbucks vs federal labor agency: U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear oral argumentsRemains believed to be missing woman, daughter found at West Virginia home on same day suspect diedTexas deputy dies after being hit by truck while helping during accidentAs syphilis cases among US newborns soar, doctors group advises more screening during pregnancyPlane crashes into river outside Fairbanks, AlaskaGoFundMe expands into Mexico as part of for