Steel Markets
![](https://www.steelmarketupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/media/k2/items/src/9462c3e6bb9ef02032165a9e50a578db.jpg)
Existing Home Sales Climb in May
Written by Sandy Williams
June 21, 2017
Existing home sales climbed 1.1 percent in May, reports the National Association of Realtors. Sales rebounded to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.62 million from a downwardly revised 5.56 million in April. May sales are 2.7 percent higher than a year ago and at the third highest level for the past year.
Low inventory pushed median sales price up 5.8 percent to $252,800. Prices have increased for 63 straight months with the increase in May setting a new peak median sales price. Sellers can be happy with shorter selling times: 27 days on the market compared to 29 days in April and 32 days a year ago.
“The job market in most of the country is healthy and the recent downward trend in mortgage rates continues to keep buyer interest at a robust level,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist. “Those able to close on a home last month are probably feeling both happy and relieved. Listings in the affordable price range are scarce, homes are coming off the market at an extremely fast pace and the prevalence of multiple offers in some markets is pushing prices higher.”
Housing inventory rose 2.1 percent to 1.96 million existing homes, but was still down 8.4 percent from a year ago. At the current sales pace, inventory is at a 4.2-month supply, a decline from 4.7 months in May 2016.
“Home prices keep chugging along at a pace that is not sustainable in the long run,” added Yun. “Current demand levels indicate sales should be stronger, but it’s clear some would-be buyers are having to delay or postpone their home search because low supply is leading to worsening affordability conditions.”
Sales of single-family homes in May were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.98 million, 1.0 percent higher than April and 2.7 percent above a year ago. Condominium and co-op sales jumped 1.6 percent in May and 3.2 percent from a year ago. Median price for a single-family home increased 6 percent year-over-year to $254,600. The median condo price grew 4.8 percent to $238,700.
Home sales were strongest in the Northeast, jumping 6.8 percent from April, followed by the West and South with increases of 3.4 percent and 2.2 percent, respectively. Existing home sales in the Midwest fell 5.9 percent from April to May.
Median home price increased in all regions on a year-over-year basis: Northeast 4.7 percent, Midwest 7.3 percent, South 5.3 percent, and West 6.9 percent.
![](https://www.steelmarketupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/04/sandy-williams.jpeg)
Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Steel Markets
![](https://www.steelmarketupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/images/Featured_News_Icons/GrafTech.jpg)
GrafTech’s Q2 loss widens in ‘challenging’ business environment
GrafTech cited a “challenging” part of the business cycle as its net loss widened in the second quarter.
![](https://www.steelmarketupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/CRU-Logo-2023-07-21-at-4.35.41-PM.png)
CRU: Poor steel margins continue to push down raw material prices
Both iron ore and coking coal prices fell this week because of resistance from buyers. Iron ore prices have continued to fall throughout the past week, following sharp declines in steel prices in China, given no new policy announcement from the ‘Third Plenum’ meeting.
![](https://www.steelmarketupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/canacero-logo.png)
Op-Ed: The myth of the Mexican steel surge
We have heard ominous warnings about a flood of Mexican steel threatening the US market. It's the kind of rhetoric that gets thrown around often with little regard for the facts. The reality is that the Mexican steel surge is simply not happening, and the US steel industry has consistently maintained a significant trade surplus in finished products with Mexico. In 2023 alone, this surplus exceeded $3 billion.
![](https://www.steelmarketupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/07/CRU-Logo-2023-07-21-at-4.35.41-PM.png)
CRU: Demand weakness continues to weigh on global sheet markets
Demand has remained persistently weak across the globe for sheet steel, weighing on prices. US HR coil prices fell the furthest this week as high-volume, low-priced deals were transacted as mills looked to fill order books and competed with one another amid relative demand weakness. Meanwhile, European prices were also down due to low demand […]
![](https://www.steelmarketupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/images/Featured_News_Icons/graph_up_arrow.png)
Influx of coated products fuels recent import surge
Steel imports fell back in May from April’s recent high but remained elevated compared to the levels seen over the past year. A deeper dive into the data confirms what SMU has been hearing from sources: Coated sheet is driving the recent rise in overall import levels.