The National Association of Realtors® provides research and housing statistics on their website. This is a good source to obtain national and regional existing home sales, the pending home sales index and housing affordability index, etc.

NAR releases national and regional existing home sales price and volume statistics around the 25th of each month. These reports include data for 12 months and annual totals for the past three years. The reports also include the median and average prices for existing single-family homes, condos and co-ops.

The pending home sales index is the leading indicator of housing activity and is released during the first week of the month. This data is based on signed real estate contracts for existing single-family homes, condos and co-ops. This measures the housing contract activity.

The housing affordability index measures the ability of a family earning the median income to purchase median priced homes.

For more information regarding national and regional housing research and statistics, visit realtor.org.

Article prepared and submitted on behalf of the NAR by Joanna Jackson, sales manager/associate broker with Jackson Realty.