Washington, D.C., Nov. 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

Key Highlights

• Single-family existing-home sales prices climbed in 87% of measured metro areas – 196 of 226 – in the third quarter, down from 89% in the prior quarter. The national median single-family existing-home price grew 3.1% from a year ago to $418,700.
• Fifteen markets (7%) experienced double-digit annual price appreciation (down from 13% in the previous quarter).
• The monthly mortgage payment on a typical, existing single-family home with a 20% down payment was $2,137 – down 2.4% from one year ago.

WASHINGTON (November 7, 2024) – Approximately 90% of metro markets (196 out of 226, or 87%) registered home price gains in the third quarter of 2024, as the 30-year fixed mortgage rate ranged from 6.08% to 6.95%, according to the National Association of Realtors^®‘ latest quarterly report. Seven percent of the 226 tracked metro areas recorded double-digit price gains over the same period, down from 13% in the second quarter.
“Home prices remain on solid ground as reflected by the vast number of markets experiencing gains,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. “A typical homeowner accumulated $147,000 in housing wealth in the last five years. Even with the rapid price appreciation over the last few years, the likelihood of a market crash is minimal. Distressed property sales and the number of people defaulting on mortgage payments are both at historic lows.”
Compared to one year ago, the national median single-family existing-home price ascended 3.1% to $418,700. In the prior quarter, the year-over-year national median price increased 4.9%.
Among the major U.S. regions, the South registered the largest share of single-family existing-home sales (45.1%) in the third quarter, with year-over-year price appreciation of 0.8%. Prices also increased 7.8% in the Northeast, 4.3% in the Midwest and 1.8% in the West.[1]
The top 10 metro areas with the largest year-over-year median price increases, which can be influenced by the types of homes sold during the quarter, all experienced gains of at least 10.6%. Four of the markets were in Illinois. Overall, those markets were Racine, Wis. (13.7%); Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, Ohio-Pa. (13.1%); Syracuse, N.Y. (13.0%); Peoria, Ill. (12.4%); Springfield, Ill. (12.3%); Burlington-South Burlington, Vt. (11.7%); Shreveport-Bossier City, La. (11.5%); Rockford, Ill. (11.1%); Decatur, Ill. (10.9%); and Norwich-New London, Conn. (10.6%).
Eight of the top 10 most expensive markets in the U.S. were in California. Overall, those markets were San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif. ($1,900,000; 2.7%); Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine, Calif. ($1,398,500; 7.2%); San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, Calif. ($1,309,000; 0.7%); Urban Honolulu, Hawaii ($1,138,000; 7.2%); San Diego-Carlsbad, Calif. ($1,010,000; 3.2%); Salinas, Calif. ($959,800; 1.5%); San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, Calif. ($949,800; 6.7%); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, Calif. ($947,500; 5.6%); Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, Calif. ($947,400; 2.8%); and Boulder, Colo. ($832,200; -3.0%).
Nearly 13% of markets (29 of 226) experienced home price declines in the third quarter, up from almost 10% in the second quarter.
Housing affordability slightly improved in the third quarter as mortgage rates trended lower. The monthly mortgage payment on a typical existing single-family home with a 20% down payment was $2,137, down 5.5% from the second quarter ($2,262) and 2.4% – or $52 – from one year ago. Families typically spent 25.2% of their income on mortgage payments, down from 26.9% in the prior quarter and 27.1% one year ago.
“Housing affordability has been a challenge, but the worst appears to be over,” Yun said. “Rising wages are outpacing home price increases. Despite some short-term swings, mortgage rates are set to stabilize below last year’s levels. More inventory is reaching the market and providing additional options for consumers.”
First-time buyers found marginally better affordability conditions compared to the previous quarter. For a typical starter home valued at $355,900 with a 10% down payment loan, the monthly mortgage payment declined to $2,097, down 5.5% from the prior quarter ($2,218). That was a decrease of $49, or 2.3%, from one year ago ($2,146). First-time buyers typically spent 38% of their family income on mortgage payments, down from 40.6% in the previous quarter.
A family needed a qualifying income of at least $100,000 to afford a 10% down payment mortgage in 42.5% of markets, down from 48% in the prior quarter. Yet, a family needed a qualifying income of less than $50,000 to afford a home in 2.2% of markets, down from 2.7% in the previous quarter.
About the National Association of Realtors^®
The National Association of Realtors^® is America’s largest trade association, representing 1.5 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. The term Realtor^® is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of Realtors^® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics. For free consumer guides about navigating the homebuying and selling transaction processes – from written buyer agreements to negotiating compensation – visit facts.realtor.

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Information about NAR is available at nar.realtor. This and other news releases are posted in the newsroom at nar.realtor/newsroom. Statistical data in this release, as well as other tables and surveys, are posted in the “Research and Statistics” tab.

Data tables for MSA home prices (single-family and condo) are posted at https://www.nar.realtor/research-and-statistics/housing-statistics/metropolitan-median-area-prices-and-affordability. If insufficient data is reported for an MSA in a particular quarter, it is listed as N/A. For areas not covered in the tables, please contact the local association of Realtors^®.

NOTE: NAR releases quarterly median single-family price data for approximately 220 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs). In some cases, the MSA prices may not coincide with data released by state and local Realtor^® associations. Any discrepancy may be due to differences in geographic coverage, product mix, and timing. In the event of discrepancies, Realtors^® are advised that for business purposes, local data from their association may be more relevant.

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[1] Areas are generally metropolitan statistical areas as defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. NAR adheres to the OMB definitions, although in some areas an exact match is not possible from the available data. A list of counties included in MSA definitions is available at: https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/demo/metro-micro/delineation-files.html.
Regional median home prices are from a separate sampling that includes rural areas and portions of some smaller metros that are not included in this report; the regional percentage changes do not necessarily parallel changes in the larger metro areas. The only valid comparisons for median prices are with the same period a year earlier due to seasonality in buying patterns. Quarter-to-quarter comparisons do not compensate for seasonal changes, especially for the timing of family buying patterns.
Median price measurement reflects the types of homes that are selling during the quarter and can be skewed at times by changes in the sales mix. For example, changes in the level of distressed sales, which are heavily discounted, can vary notably in given markets and may affect percentage comparisons. Annual price measures generally smooth out any quarterly swings.
NAR began tracking of metropolitan area median single-family home prices in 1979; the metro area condo price series dates back to 1989.
The seasonally adjusted annual rate for a particular quarter represents what the total number of actual sales for a year would be if the relative sales pace for that quarter was maintained for four consecutive quarters. Total home sales include single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-operative housing.

Troy Green
National Association of Realtors®
tgreen@nar.realtor