Name: Existing home sales end 2025 with strong beat, as prices ease further
Uploaded: 2026-01-14T17:31:18.840Z
Duration: 2 min 8 s
Description: Existing home sales in December 2025 increased by 5.1% from November, reaching a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 4.35 million units, surpassing the anticipated 2% gain.

Existing home sales in December 2025 increased by 5.1% from November, reaching a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 4.35 million units, surpassing the anticipated 2% gain.

Existing home sales in December 2025 increased by 5.1% from November, reaching a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 4.35 million units, surpassing the anticipated 2% gain. The median sale price rose 0.4% year over year to $405,400, a slower pace than the previous month, while inventory levels dropped 18% from November, resulting in a lean 3.3-month supply.

Business inventories for October and November both rose by 0.3%, tying for the second highest monthly build of the year and supporting expectations for a strong fourth quarter GDP. Homes remained on the market longer on average, and sales were particularly robust at the higher end of the market. Data on first-time buyers and investors will be released later in the month.

Existing home sales end 2025 with strong beat, as prices ease further

Uh, let's get some economic data that just crossed from Rick Santelli. Diana Olick also has some news for us as well. Rick, we'll start with you. Yes, David. Business inventories for October, fourth quarter number expected up one-tenth of a percent, comes out up three-tenths of a percent, and last month also joins the up three-tenths club, a revision from up two-tenths. So back-to-back three-tenths for November and October, and they're tied for the second highest builds on business inventories of 2025. The high was up four-tenths in January of 2025. Of course, the more widgets you make on the inventory side, the more you contribute to GDP, and GDP for the fourth quarter is already expected to be rather large. We also have existing home sales for December, and for that, we aim east to Diana Olick. Diana? Well, Rick, existing home sales in December rose 5.1 percent from November to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 4.35 million units. That's a strong beat. The street was looking for a 2 percent gain. Sales were up 1.4 percent year over year. Now, this count is based on closings, so contracts likely signed in October and November when the average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage didn't move very much, hovering around 6.2 to 6.3 percent, but down from close to 7 percent where it was last spring and early summer. Inventory was the big headline, 1.18 million units available for sale at the end of December, down 18 percent from November, still up 3.5 percent year over year. With stronger sales, though, that dropped to a 3.3-month supply, which is considered quite lean. That kept prices in the positive just barely, $405,400 was the median sale price, up 0.4 percent annually. That is down from a 1.2 percent annual gain in November. Sales continue to be more robust on the highest end of the market, and homes are staying on the market longer, 39 days on average versus 35 days a year ago. We do not have any data on first-time buyers, investors, and all cash, as the realtors are now waiting until the end of the month to report that. Sarah? Okay, Diana, thank you very much.

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