Existing-home sales rise 2.6% in June

Existing-home sales rise 2.6% in June

 Rising for a third month, sales of existing homes grew 2.6% in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.04 million, reaching the highest level since October, the National Association of Realtors reported Tuesday. Economists polled by MarketWatch had expected the sales rate to increase to 5 million in June from an originally reported 4.89 million in May, driven by a strengthening labor market, more homes on the market, and cooling price growth. On Tuesday NAR revised May's sales rate to 4.91 million. Market conditions are becoming more balanced, but anecdotes still point to a shortage of homes on the market, ( Ha ha ha ha ) said Lawrence Yun, NAR's chief economist. The median sales price of used homes hit $223,300 in June, up 4.3% from the year-earlier period. June's inventory was 2.3 million existing homes for sale, a 5.5-month supply at the current sales pace. The number of homes available for sale was up 6.5% from the year-earlier period. Including June's increase, the pace of sales was down 2.3% from a year earlier.