Heavy Duty Trucking Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Economic Watch: Existing and New Home Sales Slow

Sales of both existing and new homes fell in April, according to two separate reports, as the nation’s home supply continues tightening.

Evan Lockridge
Evan LockridgeFormer Business Contributing Editor
May 24, 2017
Economic Watch: Existing and New Home Sales Slow

 

3 min to read


Sales of both existing and new homes fell in April, according to two separate reports, as the nation’s home supply continues tightening.

Ad Loading...

Stubbornly low supply levels held down existing-home sales in April and also pushed the median number of days a home was on the market to a new low of 29 days, according to figures released Wednesday by the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

Ad Loading...

Total existing-home sales, which are completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, dipped 2.3% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.57 million in April from a downwardly revised 5.70 million in March. This drop is more than analysts had been expecting.

Despite last month's decline, sales are still 1.6% above a year ago-- and at the fourth highest pace over the past year.

According to Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, every major region except for the Midwest saw a retreat in existing sales in April.

"Last month's dip in closings was somewhat expected given that there was such a strong sales increase in March at 4.2%, and new and existing inventory is not keeping up with the fast pace of homes that are coming off the market," he said. "Demand is easily outstripping supply in most of the country and it's stymieing many prospective buyers from finding a home to purchase."

The median existing-home price for all housing types in April was $244,800, up 6% from April 2016, marking the 62nd straight month of year-over-year gains.

Ad Loading...

Single-family home sales, the largest share of the market, decreased 2.4% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.95 million in April from 5.07 million in March, but are still 1.6 above the 4.87 million pace a year ago.

New Home Sales Fall rrom Nearly 10-Year High

This report follows one from the Commerce Department on Wednesday that showed sales of newly built single-family homes in April dropped for the first time in 2017, falling 11.4% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 569,000 units, far more than Wall Street expectations.

Sales numbers for the first three months of the year were all upwardly revised, and the March sales pace was the highest since October 2007.

“New home sales were strong in the first three months of 2017, so some pullback in April is to be expected,” said National Association of Home Builders Chief Economist Robert Dietz. “However, our forecast calls for new home sales to increase throughout the year, buoyed by rising household formations, continued job growth and tight existing home inventory.”

The inventory of new home sales for sale was 268,000 in April, which is a 5.7-month supply at the current sales pace, up from a 4.9 month supply in March, but regarded as still a bit tight. The median sales price of new houses sold was $309,200.

More Fleet Management

ATA President Chris Spear.
Fleet Managementby Jack RobertsMarch 17, 2026

ATA’s Spear Warns Fuel Prices, Trade Policy, and Global Conflict Could Stall Trucking Recovery

Speaking at the TMC Annual Meeting in Nashville, ATA President Chris Spear said trucking faces mounting pressure from rising fuel prices, geopolitical instability, and uncertainty around trade policy.

Read More →
Illustration of author headshot with black-and-white old-fashioned rig in the background

New Entrants, Chameleon Carriers, and Safety: Is It Too Easy to Start a Trucking Company?

More than 100,000 new trucking companies enter the industry each year, but regulators manage to audit only a fraction of them. That churn creates opportunities for inexperienced startups — and for “chameleon carriers” that shut down after safety violations and reappear under new identities. Read more from Deborah Lockridge in this commentary.

Read More →
Panel discussion
Fleet Managementby Deborah LockridgeMarch 12, 2026

Fleet Managers Invited to Apply for Exclusive HDT Exchange Event

HDTX is an intimate event that connects heavy-duty trucking fleet managers with industry suppliers through small-group discussions, educational sessions, and structured one-on-one meetings.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
DAT iPhone Widget.
Fleet Managementby News/Media ReleaseMarch 12, 2026

DAT Launches iPhone Widget to Help Owner-Operators Find Loads Faster

New DAT One feature shows top-paying loads directly on an iPhone’s home screen, helping carriers react faster to spot-market opportunities.

Read More →
Optimal Dynamics Scale screen shot
Fleet Managementby News/Media ReleaseMarch 12, 2026

Optimal Dynamics Launches AI System to Help Carriers Choose Better Freight

Optimal Dynamics says its new Scale platform uses AI agents and optimization to help carriers find and secure freight that improves network balance and profitability.

Read More →
DAT March 2026 trucking conditions.
Fleet Managementby Jack RobertsMarch 12, 2026

DAT: Flatbed Demand Climbs as Van and Reefer Rates Soften

DAT Freight & Analytics data shows tightening flatbed capacity, easing produce markets, and softening van and reefer rates.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
YouTube thumbnail with Mike Roeth of NACFE saying "NACFE's Messy Middle: Which Fuel Wins?"
Fuel Smartsby Deborah LockridgeMarch 11, 2026

Run on Less “Messy Middle” Data Shows Multiple Paths Forward for Truck Powertrains [Watch]

NACFE's Run on Less - Messy Middle project demonstrates the power of data in helping to guide the future of alternative fuels and powertrains for heavy-duty trucks.

Read More →
Illustration of crowded New York street overlaid with dollar signs
Fleet Managementby Deborah LockridgeMarch 11, 2026

Federal Court Lets NYC Congestion Pricing Continue

A federal court ruling allows New York City’s congestion pricing program to continue, leaving truck tolls in place for fleets delivering into Manhattan.

Read More →
Fontaine Modification Access365
Fleet Managementby News/Media ReleaseMarch 10, 2026

Fontaine Modification Launches Real-Time Truck Modification Tracking Portal

Fontaine Modification has introduced a new customer portal designed to give fleets real-time visibility into the truck modification process, addressing one of the most common questions fleet managers face: “Where’s my truck?”

Read More →
Ad Loading...
FTR Tucking Conditions March 2026.
Fleet Managementby Jack RobertsMarch 10, 2026

FTR: Trucking Conditions Index Climbs to Highest Level Since 2022

Strong freight rates, rising volumes and tighter capacity push trucking conditions higher, though diesel prices could temper gains in the near term, FTR cautions.

Read More →