Pending Home Sales Down in January Despite Low Mortgage Rates

Low mortgage rates and the expanded home buyer tax credit couldn't stop pending home sales from going down in January 2010 according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). The Pending Home Sales Index is a forward looking indicator based on contracts signed in January which fell 7.6 percent to 90.4 percent.

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Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, believes the bad weather will likely impact pending home sales. "January pending sales, though still higher than one year ago, remain much lower than expected given that a large number of potential buyers are eligible for the expanded home buyer tax credit. Moreover, the abnormally severe and prolonged winter weather, which affected large regions of the U.S., hampered shopping activity in February,” he said. 

Here is more from Lawrence Yun on pending home sales.

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