NAR: U.S. existing home sales to climb in 2017

By Sunil The Fremont Realtor - May 25, 2017

More homes are predicted to be sold this year than in more than a decade. In 2017, the number of existing-home sales is expected to increase about 3.5 percent to 5.64 million. By 2018, existing-home sales will likely rise another 2.8 percent to 5.8 million, according to forecasts by the National Association of REALTORS®.

The rise in new jobs, pent-up household formation, and increasing consumer confidence are helping to propel the housing market forward, says Lawrence Yun, NAR's chief economist.

The new-home sector is also expected to see a surge over the next year. New-home sales are expected to rise 10.7 percent this year to 620,000. The sector is also expected to tick up another 8 percent in 2018 to 670,000 sales, NAR predicts.

Buyers are likely to face higher prices on homes. Prices are expected to increase 5 percent in 2017 and another 3.5 percent in 2018, NAR predicts.

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