New Residential Sales In August 2009 Explanatory Notes
U.S. Census Bureau News
Joint Release
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
U.S. Department of Commerce Washington, D.C. 20233
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2010 AT 10:00 A.M. EST
CB10-24
Erica Filipek or Stephen Cooper
Manufacturing and Construction Division
(301) 763-5160
NEW RESIDENTIAL SALES IN JANUARY 2010
Sales of new single-family houses in January 2010 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 309,000, according to
estimates released jointly today by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
This is 11.2 percent (±14.0%)* below the revised December rate of 348,000 and is 6.1 percent (±15.1%)* below the
January 2009 estimate of 329,000.
The median sales price of new houses sold in January 2010 was $203,500; the average sales price was $254,500. The
seasonally adjusted estimate of new houses for sale at the end of January was 234,000. This represents a supply of 9.1
months at the current sales rate.
New Residential Sales data for February 2010 will be released on Wednesday, March 24, 2010, at 10:00 A.M. EDT.
Our Internet site is: http://www.census.gov/newhomesales
http://www.census.gov/newhomesales
EXPLANATORY NOTES
These statistics are estimated from sample surveys. They are subject to sampling variability as well as nonsampling error including bias and variance from response,
nonreporting, and undercoverage. Estimated average relative standard errors of the preliminary data are shown in the tables. Whenever a statement such as “2.5
percent (±3.2%) above” appears in the text, this indicates the range (-0.7 to +5.7 percent) in which the actual percent change is likely to have occurred. All ranges
given for percent changes are 90-percent confidence intervals and account only for sampling variability. If a range does not contain zero, the change is statistically
significant. If it does contain zero, the change is not statistically significant; that is, it is uncertain whether there was an increase or decrease. The same policies apply
to the confidence intervals for percent changes shown in the tables. Changes in seasonally adjusted statistics often show irregular movement. It takes 4 months to
establish a trend for new houses sold. Preliminary new home sales figures are subject to revision due to the survey methodology and definitions used. The survey is
primarily based on a sample of houses selected from building permits. Since a “sale” is defined as a deposit taken or sales agreement signed, this can occur prior to a
permit being issued. An estimate of these prior sales is included in the sales figure. On average, the preliminary seasonally adjusted estimate of total sales is revised
about 3 percent. Changes in sales price data reflect changes in the distribution of houses by region, size, etc., as well as changes in the prices of houses with identical
characteristics. Explanations of confidence intervals and sampling variability can be found on our web site listed above.
* 90% confidence interval includes zero. The Census Bureau does not have sufficient statistical evidence to conclude that the actual change is different from zero.
Table 1. New Houses Sold and For Sale
[Thousands of houses. Detail may not add to total because of rounding.]
Sold during period1
For sale at end of period
Median
Average
Months'
Period
United
North-
Mid-
United
North-
Mid-
sales
sales
Supply2
States
east
west South West States
east
west South West
price ($)
price ($)
Seasonally adjusted
2009: January
329
30
53
181
65
340
12.4
February
354
28
50
207
69
328
11.1
March
332
19
44
195
74
313
11.3
April
345
21
40
204
80
300
10.4
May
371
25
48
206
92
293
9.5
June
399
36
60
197
106
280
8.4
July
419
41
57
223
98
270
7.7
August
408
36
56
208
108
262
7.7
September
391
37
66
192
96
252
7.7
October (r)
400
33
54
218
95
242
7.3
November (r)
362
30
68
187
77
236
7.8
December (r)
348
37
48
179
84
233
8.0
2010: January (p)
309
24
49
162
74
234
9.1
Average RSE (%)3
8
27
21
12
15
3
8
Percent Change:
January 2010 from December 2009
-11.2%
-35.1%
2.1%
-9.5%
-11.9%
0.4%
13.8%
90% Confidence Interval 4
± 14.0
± 20.9
± 37.6
± 18.5
± 23.7
± 1.0
± 18.4
January 2010 from January 2009
-6.1%
-20.0%
-7.5%
-10.5%
13.8%
-31.2%
-26.6%
90% Confidence Interval 4
± 15.1
± 45.2
± 35.7
± 19.6
± 32.1
± 3.1
± 18.4
Not seasonally adjusted
2008:
485
35
70
266
114
352
37
57
175
83
(X)
232,100
292,600
2009:r
374
31
53
202
88
233
28
39
118
49
(X)
215,600
270,100
RSE (%)
3
10
15
4
6
3
12
10
4
8
(X)
3
3
2009: January
24
2
3
14
5
340
36
55
169
79
14.3
208,600
245,200
February
29
2
4
17
6
324
35
52
161
76
11.2
209,700
258,600
March
31
2
4
18
7
311
35
51
154
71
9.9
205,100
259,800
April
32
2
4
18
7
300
34
50
148
69
9.4
219,200
269,800
May
34
2
5
19
9
290
33
49
143
65
8.4
222,300
274,600
June
37
3
6
19
10
282
32
48
140
62
7.6
214,700
274,800
July
38
4
5
20
9
272
30
46
136
59
7.2
214,200
271,100
August
36
3
5
19
9
263
30
45
132
56
7.3
207,100
257,800
September
30
3
5
14
8
254
29
43
130
53
8.4
216,600
290,300
October (r)
33
3
4
18
8
243
28
42
123
50
7.4
215,100
263,800
November (r)
26
2
5
13
5
235
28
39
120
49
9.1
219,100
275,000
December (r)
24
3
3
13
5
233
28
39
118
49
9.8
215,600
274,400
2010: January (p)
21
2
3
11
5
233
27
38
119
48
11.1
203,500
254,500
Average RSE (%)3
8
27
21
12
15
3
12
10
4
7
8
5 6
pPreliminary. rRevised. RSE Relative standard error. X Not applicable. Z Less than 0.5 percent.
1Seasonally adjusted houses sold are published at annual rates. 2Ratio of houses for sale to houses sold. 3Average RSE for the latest 6-month period.
4See the Explanatory Notes in the accompanying text for an explanation of 90% confidence intervals
5 Computed using unrounded data.
Note: The sales price includes the land.
Table 2. New Houses Sold, by Sales Price
[Thousands of houses. Detail may not add to total because of rounding.]
Under
$150,000
$200,000
$300,000
$400,000
$500,000
$750,000
Period
Total
$150,000
to $199,000
to $299,000
to $399,000
to $499,000
to $749,000
and over
Number of houses1
2008:
485
77
106
149
69
35
31
18
2009:r
374
67
96
114
46
23
19
9
RSE (%)
3
10
7
5
7
10
11
17
2009: January
24
5
7
7
3
1
1
(Z)
February
29
6
7
9
3
2
1
1
March
31
6
8
10
3
2
2
1
April
32
6
8
10
4
2
1
1
May
34
5
9
11
4
3
2
1
June
37
6
10
11
5
2
2
1
July
38
6
11
10
5
2
2
1
August
36
8
9
10
4
3
2
(Z)
September
30
5
8
10
3
2
2
1
October (r)
33
6
8
11
4
2
1
1
November (r)
26
5
7
8
3
2
1
1
December (r)
24
5
5
7
3
1
2
1
2010: January (p)
21
5
5
5
3
1
1
(Z)
Number of houses1
Average RSE (%)3
8
19
15
14
20
28
35
42
2008:
100
16
22
31
14
7
6
4
2009:r
100
18
26
30
12
6
5
3
2009: January
100
19
28
31
12
6
3
1
February
100
20
25
30
12
7
5
2
March
100
20
27
31
10
5
5
2
April
100
18
24
31
14
7
4
3
May
100
15
25
32
13
9
5
2
June
100
17
28
30
12
4
5
3
July
100
17
28
27
14
5
6
3
August
100
22
26
28
10
8
5
1
September
100
15
26
32
11
5
8
3
October (r)
100
19
24
35
12
5
3
3
November (r)
100
19
26
31
11
6
3
4
December (r)
100
20
23
28
13
4
7
5
2010: January (p)
100
23
24
24
14
6
6
2
pPreliminary. rRevised. RSE Relative standard error. X Not applicable. Z Less than 0.5 percent.
1Houses for which sales price was not reported have been distributed proportionally to those for which sales price was reported
2Average RSE for the latest 6-month period.
Note: The sales price includes the land.
Table 3. New Houses Sold and For Sale by Stage of Construction and Median Number of Months on Sales Market
[Thousands of houses. Detail may not add to total because of rounding.]
Sold during period
For sale at end of period
Median
Period
Not
Under
Not
Under
months
Total
started
construction
Completed
Total
started
construction
Completed
for sale1
2008:
485
104
134
247
352
41
139
172
9.2
2009:r
374
82
107
185
233
32
101
100
14.0
RSE (%)
3
7
5
5
3
7
5
5
5
2009: January
24
6
5
13
340
40
133
167
9.4
February
29
6
7
16
324
38
127
159
9.9
March
31
7
7
17
311
39
120
152
10.2
April
32
7
8
17
300
39
118
143
10.8
May
34
10
9
16
290
39
115
136
11.5
June
37
9
11
18
282
37
116
128
11.9
July
38
8
12
18
272
35
116
121
12.5
August
36
8
12
16
263
35
113
115
12.9
September
30
6
10
15
254
32
112
111
13.2
October (r)
33
6
11
16
243
30
107
106
13.7
November (r)
26
6
8
12
235
28
105
101
13.8
December (r)
24
6
7
11
233
32
101
100
14.0
2010: January (p)
21
6
6
9
233
35
100
97
14.2
Average RSE (%)3
8
9
10
10
3
8
5
5
5
pPreliminary. rRevised. RSE Relative standard error. Z Less than 0.5 percent.
1Median number of months for sale since completion.
2Average RSE for the latest 6-month period.
