February new-home sales at 308,000 annual rate

Market Pulse
March 24, 2010, 10:01 a.m. EDT
By Jeffry Bartash WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Sales of new homes in the U.S. fell slightly in February - the fourth straight monthly drop - to yet another record low. New-home sales slipped 2.2% to an annual pace of 308,000, seasonally adjusted, which is the lowest rate since the government began tracking the data in 1963, according to the Commerce Department. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch forecast annualized sales of 318,000. Sales for January were revised to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 315,000, up from 309,000 as previously reported. The median price of a new home sold shot up 6.1% to $220,500 in February from January's revised level of $207,900.

U.S. new-home sales fall to record-low level - MARKETWATCH

By Rex Nutting WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - Sales of new U.S. homes plunged 11.2% in January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 309,000, the lowest rate on record dating back to 1963, the Commerce Department estimated Wednesday. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch forecast sales to rise slightly to 355,000, with buyers taking advantage of a new federal tax credit. Sales in December were revised higher to 348,000 from 342,000 previously reported. Sales are down 6.1% compared with January 2009's 329,000, which was the previous record-low rate. The number of homes for sale rose 0.4% to 234,000 in January. At the January sales pace, it would take 9.1 months to sell that inventory.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/us-new-home-sales-fall-to-record-low-level-2010-02-24-105210?siteid=bnbh