Divergent Mortgage Rates Fuel Surprising Spike in Home Sales
Despite high mortgage rates and rising home prices, new residential home sales surged in September while existing home sales stagnated. The lack of existing homes on the market has forced buyers to turn to new construction, where builders are offering discounted mortgages and other incentives such as covering closing costs. Mortgage rate buydowns, where builders lower the mortgage rate for the entire life of the loan, are particularly popular. Builders are also constructing more speculative homes to provide buyers with a better idea of their mortgage rate at the time of purchase. The surge in new home sales is attributed to a combination of limited options in the existing home market and attractive incentives offered by builders.
