Existing-home sales climbed in December, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. Sales advanced in three major U.S. regions and slipped in the Midwest. Year-over-year, sales accelerated in all four regions.
On an annual basis, existing-home sales (4.06 million) declined to the lowest level since 1995, while the median price reached a record high of $407,500 in 2024.
Total existing-home sales – completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops – elevated 2.2% from November to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.24 million in December. Year-over-year, sales swelled 9.3% (up from 3.88 million in December 2023).
"Home sales in the final months of the year showed solid recovery despite elevated mortgage rates," said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. "Home sales during the winter are typically softer than the spring and summer, but momentum is rising with sales climbing year-over-year for three straight months. Consumers clearly understand the long-term benefits of homeownership. Job and wage gains, along with increased inventory, are positively impacting the market."
Total housing inventory registered at the end of December was 1.15 million units, down 13.5% from November but up 16.2% from one year ago (990,000). Unsold inventory sits at a 3.3-month supply at the current sales pace, down from 3.8 months in November but up from 3.1 months in December 2023.
The median existing-home price for all housing types in December was $404,400, up 6.0% from one year ago ($381,400). All four U.S. regions posted price increases.
"The median home price was elevated partly due to the upper-end market’s relative better performance," Yun added. “Sales rose by 35% from a year ago for homes priced above $1 million, while sales fell for homes priced under $250,000.”
According to the monthly REALTORS® Confidence Index, properties typically remained on the market for 35 days in December, up from 32 days in November and 29 days in December 2023.
First-time buyers were responsible for 31% of sales in December, up from 30% in November 2024 and 29% in December 2023. NAR's 2024 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers – released in November 2024 – found that the annual share of first-time buyers was 24%, the lowest ever recorded.
Cash sales accounted for 28% of transactions in December, up from 25% in November but down from 29% in December 2023. Individual investors or second-home buyers, who make up many cash sales, purchased 16% of homes in December, up from 13% in November and identical to December 2023.
Distressed sales – foreclosures and short sales – represented 2% of sales in December, unchanged from November and the previous year.
According to Freddie Mac, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.96% as of January 23. That’s down from 7.04% one week ago but up from 6.69% one year ago.
Regional Breakdown
In December, existing-home sales in the Northeast grew 3.9% from November to an annual rate of 530,000, up 10.4% from December 2023. The median price in the Northeast was $478,900, up 11.8% from last year.
In the Midwest, existing-home sales slid 1.0% in December to an annual rate of 990,000, up 6.5% from the prior year. The median price in the Midwest was $298,600, up 9.0% from December 2023.
Existing-home sales in the South increased 3.2% from November to an annual rate of 1.93 million in December, up 9.0% from one year before. The median price in the South was $361,800, up 3.4% from one year earlier.
In the West, existing-home sales rose 2.6% in December to an annual rate of 790,000, up 12.9% from a year ago. The median price in the West was $614,500, up 6.0% from December 2023.
