MENU
SEARCHUPDATED -- Sales of new homes in the U.S. hit a six-month high last month while the improvement for August was cut dramatically, according to a new U.S. Commerce Department report.
Photo: Evan Lockridge
UPDATED -- Sales of new homes in the U.S. hit a six-month high last month while the improvement for August was cut dramatically, according to a new U.S. Commerce Department report.
Sales in September increased 0.2% from the month before, hitting an annual rate of 467,000 homes, the best pace since July 2008. Compared to September 2013, sales are 17%, and they are up 1.7% in the first nine months of the year versus last year.
The annual rate in August was revised downward from 504,000 home sold to 466,000, still 15.3% higher than the month before.
Sales in the Midwest increased the most of any region from August to September, up 12.3%. Month over month numbers were up 2% in the South, while things were relatively flat in the Northeast. New home sales in the West fell 8.9% following an August surge of around 28%.
"The supposed momentum in sales seen in August was severely deflated after revisions, with September's minimal rise suggesting limited activity in the housing market at the end of third quarter, said Chief Economist Lindsey Piegza with the investment firm Sterne Agee. "The story remains unchanged - consumers, strapped with debt and minimal savings, are struggling to afford large purchases without significant income growth. Despite record low rates keeping housing affordability relatively high, new demand, particularly among the youngest generations, remains restrained."
The report follows one a few days earlier from the National Association of Realtors showing existing home sales in the U.S. bounced back in September, hitting their highest annual rate in a year.
Update adds analyst comments.
How a former commercial vehicle enforcement officer turned director of safety at K&B Transportation is embracing real-world safety technology.
Read More →
When the unexpected happens, how you react to, and deal with operational blind spots is critical. Here’s how to keep you recovery on track, when nothing is normal.
Read More →
As fleets adopt artificial intelligence for routing, maintenance, and load matching, new security risks are emerging. Learn where the vulnerabilities are and how to put the right controls in place.
Read More →
The long-awaited registration system promises a single portal — and tighter fraud controls.
Read More →
CargoNet reports fewer supply chain crime events to start 2026. But losses hold steady as organized crime shifts tactics toward impersonation schemes and high-value goods.
Read More →
Heavy Duty Trucking is searching for forward-looking leaders at trucking fleets as nominations for HDT’s Truck Fleet Innovators 2026. Deadline is May 15.
Read More →
Cargo theft rings plant operatives as drivers inside legitimate, fully vetted carriers, then execute coordinated thefts that look like a traditional straight theft from the outside.
Read More →
A modest sequential increase capped the strongest quarterly performance in years, signaling continued freight momentum in early 2026.
Read More →
More than 300 carriers across 26 states have been sent to collections as the Ohio Turnpike cracks down on toll evasion and delinquent payments.
Read More →
The American Transportation Research Institute will examine driver coaching, regulatory impacts — including the "Beyond Compliance" concept —and weather disruptions that shape trucking operations.
Read More →
