Existing-Home Sales Series

The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® Existing-Home Sales Series is the premier measurement of the residential real estate market. On or about the 25th of each month, NAR releases statistics on sales and prices of existing single-family homes for the nation and the four regions. Beginning on February 25, 2005, these figures include condos and co-ops, in addition to single-family homes. The association also produces state-by-state existing-home sales and metro area home prices on a quarterly basis.

Pending Home Sales Index

In March of 2005, NAR began producing the Pending Home Sales Index, a new leading indicator of housing activity. This is released in the first week of each month. The index is derived from pending sales of existing homes. A sale is listed as pending when the contract has been signed and the transaction has not closed. Pending sales typically are finalized within a month or two of signing. An index of 100 is equal to the average level of contract activity during 2001, the first year to be examined, and was the first of five consecutive years for existing-home sales.