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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.