.comment-link {margin-left:.6em;}

Money

The www.FedPrimeRate.com Personal Finance Blog and Magazine

Wednesday, April 23, 2025

New Home Sales During March 2025

The March, 2025 New Home Sales report was released by the Commerce Department this morning:


------------------------------------------------------

Previous Month (revised): 674,000

  • Actual New Home Sales: 724,000

------------------------------------------------------

  • Change from 1 Month Previous: +50,000 units (+7.42%)

  • Change from 1 Year Previous: +41,000 units (+6.00%)


------------------------------------------------------

Median Price for a New Home
During
March, 2025: $403,600
 

***************************

Average Price for a New Home
During
March, 2025: $497,700

------------------------------------------------------
Inventory: 503,000 (+37,000 units / 7.94% Year-on-Year)

  • 8.3 months supply at current sales rate; seasonally‐adjusted estimate.

------------------------------------------------------

================================


CHART: Cost of A Newly Built Home MARCH 2025 Update
CHART: Cost of A Newly Built Home
MARCH 2025 Update

================================


================================


Compiled jointly by the U.S. Commerce Department and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the yellow-highlighted figure above is the seasonally adjusted and annualized number of newly-built homes with committed buyers for the indicated month.

The "predicted" figure is what economists were expecting, while the "actual" is the true or real figure.

The New Home Sales report is watched by economists and investors because it offers insight into the state of the U.S. housing market, and also provides data that can be used to predict sales of large household furniture and appliances like refrigerators, air conditioners, microwave ovens, etc.


================================

================================

Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,


--> www.FedPrimeRate.com Privacy Policy <--

--> SITEMAP <--

Tuesday, March 25, 2025

New Home Sales During February 2025

The February, 2025 New Home Sales report was released by the Commerce Department this morning:


------------------------------------------------------

Previous Month (revised): 734,000

  • Actual New Home Sales: 676,000

------------------------------------------------------

  • Change from 1 Month Previous: +12,000 units (+1.81%)

  • Change from 1 Year Previous: +33,000 units (+5.13%)


------------------------------------------------------

Median Price for a New Home
During 
February, 2025: $414,500
 

***************************

Average Price for a New Home
During
February, 2025: $487,100

------------------------------------------------------
Inventory: 500,000 (+35,000 units / 7.53% Year-on-Year)

  • 8.9 months supply at current sales rate; seasonally‐adjusted estimate.

------------------------------------------------------

================================

CHART: Cost of A Newly Built Home - FEBRUARY 2025 Update

CHART: Cost of A Newly Built Home
FEBRUARY 2025 Update

================================


================================


Compiled jointly by the U.S. Commerce Department and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the yellow-highlighted figure above is the seasonally adjusted and annualized number of newly-built homes with committed buyers for the indicated month.

The "predicted" figure is what economists were expecting, while the "actual" is the true or real figure.

The New Home Sales report is watched by economists and investors because it offers insight into the state of the U.S. housing market, and also provides data that can be used to predict sales of large household furniture and appliances like refrigerators, air conditioners, microwave ovens, etc.


================================

================================

Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,


--> www.FedPrimeRate.com Privacy Policy <--

--> SITEMAP <--

Thursday, March 20, 2025

Existing Home Sales During February 2025

Existing Home Sales report for February 2025 was released by The National Association of Realtors® (NAR®) this morning:

======================

Previous Month: 4,090,000

  • Actual: 4,260,000
======================

  •  Change from Previous Month: +4.16% (+170,000 homes)

  •  Change from A Year Ago: -1.16% (-50,000 homes)
======================

  • Inventory: 1,240,000 homes.
(3.5 months supply | +180,000 [+16.98%] Year-on-Year.)

======================

The yellow-highlighted, "actual" figure above represents the preliminary, seasonally adjusted annualized sales count of existing homes, co-ops and condominiums for the indicated month. The "predicted" figure is what economists were expecting, while the "actual" is the true or real figure.

------------------------------------------------------

  • Median Price: $398,400

  • Price Change from A Year Ago: +3.8% (+$14,600)

------------------------------------------------------ 

==========

==========

From Today's Report:

"...'Home buyers are slowly entering the market,' said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. 'Mortgage rates, have not changed much, but more inventory and choices are releasing pent-up housing demand."

'On a technical note, raw sales in February were down 5.2% from last year, which was a leap year with one extra day of business,' Yun added. 'However, after adjusting for this effect, combined with the winter seasonal factors, the momentum for home sales is flashing encouraging signs.'

'Each one percentage point gain in home price translates into an approximately $350 billion increase in housing equity for American property owners,' Yun said. "That means a gain of nearly $1.3 trillion in home value appreciation at a time when the current stock market is undergoing a correction. Moreover, the ongoing housing shortage, coupled with historically low mortgage default rates, implies a solid foundation for home values.'..
."

==================

INFOGRAPHIC: Existing Home Sales FEBRUARY 2025 UPDATE

INFOGRAPHIC: Existing Home Sales

FEBRUARY 2025 UPDATE

==================

==================

==================

Labels: , , , , , , , ,


--> www.FedPrimeRate.com Privacy Policy <--

--> SITEMAP <--

Monday, January 27, 2025

New Home Sales During December 2024

The December, 2024 New Home Sales report was released by the Commerce Department this morning:

------------------------------------------------------

Previous Month (revised): 674,000

  • Actual New Home Sales: 698,000

------------------------------------------------------

  • Change from 1 Month Previous: +24,000 units (+3.56%)

  • Change from 1 Year Previous: +44,000 units (+6.73%)


------------------------------------------------------

Median Price for a New Home
During 
December, 2024: $427,000
 

***************************

Average Price for a New Home
During December,
2024: $513,600

------------------------------------------------------

Inventory: 494,000 (+45,000 units / 10.02% Year-on-Year)

  • 8.5 months supply at current sales rate; seasonally‐adjusted estimate.

------------------------------------------------------

================================

CHART: Cost of A Newly Built Home - DECEMBER 2024 Update
CHART: Cost of A Newly Built Home
DECEMBER 2024 Update

================================


================================


Compiled jointly by the U.S. Commerce Department and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the yellow-highlighted figure above is the seasonally adjusted and annualized number of newly-built homes with committed buyers for the indicated month.

The "predicted" figure is what economists were expecting, while the "actual" is the true or real figure.

The New Home Sales report is watched by economists and investors because it offers insight into the state of the U.S. housing market, and also provides data that can be used to predict sales of large household furniture and appliances like refrigerators, air conditioners, microwave ovens, etc.


================================

================================

Labels: , , , , , , , ,


--> www.FedPrimeRate.com Privacy Policy <--

--> SITEMAP <--

Friday, January 24, 2025

Existing Home Sales During December 2024

Existing Home Sales report for December 2024 was released by The National Association of Realtors® (NAR®) this morning:

======================

Previous Month: 4,150,000

  • Actual: 4,240,000
======================

  •  Change from Previous Month: +2.17% (+90,000 homes)

  •  Change from A Year Ago: +9.33% (+362,000 homes)
======================

  • Inventory: 1,150,000
(3.3 months supply | +16.16% Year-on-Year.)

======================

The yellow-highlighted, "actual" figure above represents the preliminary, seasonally adjusted annualized sales count of existing homes, co-ops and condominiums for the indicated month. The "predicted" figure is what economists were expecting, while the "actual" is the true or real figure.

------------------------------------------------------

  • Median Price: $404,400

  • Price Change from A Year Ago: +6.03% (+$23,000)

------------------------------------------------------ 

==========

==========

From Today's Report:

"...'Home sales in the final months of the year showed solid recovery despite elevated mortgage rates,' said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. 'Home sales during the winter are typically softer than the spring and summer, but momentum is rising with sales climbing year-over-year for three straight months. Consumers clearly understand the long-term benefits of homeownership. Job and wage gains, along with increased inventory, are positively impacting the market.'

'The median home price was elevated partly due to the upper-end market’s relative better performance,' Yun added. 'Sales rose by 35% from a year ago for homes priced above $1 million, while sales fell for homes priced under $250,000.'..
."

==================

INFOGRAPHIC: Existing Home Sales - DECEMBER 2024 UPDATE
INFOGRAPHIC: Existing Home Sales

DECEMBER 2024 UPDATE

==================

==================

==================

==================

Labels: , , , , , , , ,


--> www.FedPrimeRate.com Privacy Policy <--

--> SITEMAP <--

Thursday, January 23, 2025

My Uncle Got Sucked Into A "Home Depot" Phishing Scam

So, I am on WhatsApp, checking out some family conversations, when I receive a message from my uncle.  Message reads:

"The Home Depot 40th Anniversary.  Click to enter to participate in the survey.  Have a chance to win $ 8,000! BeneficialYear.TOP"

Right away, red flags go up.  Looks extremely suspicious, but I click the link anyway, because I want to see what the scam looks like, so that I can warn others.

Here's a capture of the URL, and the page it took me to:




www.FedPrimeRate.com: Phishing Scam 1

www.FedPrimeRate.com: Phishing Scam Image 1

=======

When I reloaded the page, I was taken to a totally different URL:



www.FedPrimeRate.com: Phishing Scam 2

www.FedPrimeRate.com: Phishing Scam Image 2

First of all, if this is a survey from The Home Depot, then why on Earth would I be redirected to 2 different URLs? And why would one of the domain names use a .CN top level name, meaning it's registered in China?

Moreover: all the navigation links don't work, and the same if you try to "up" or "down" vote in the comments section.

As I investigated further, I found that Firefox is aware, and warning folks:

www.FedPrimeRate.com: Mozilla FireFox Warning - Deceptive Site Ahead

www.FedPrimeRate.com:
Mozilla FireFox Warning
- Deceptive Site Ahead

=======

Please people: don't forward suspicious messages to friends and family without checking them out.  You could end up doing serious harm to people you care about.

>>>   CLICK HERE FOR MORE SAFETY WARNINGS   <<<


>>>   CLICK HERE for SCAM ALERT: HOW TO AVOID BANKING AND OTHER TRENDING SCAMS; KNOW THE RED FLAGS   <<<

Labels: , , , , , , , , , , ,


--> www.FedPrimeRate.com Privacy Policy <--

--> SITEMAP <--

Friday, January 10, 2025

The Latest "Job Opportunity" Scam via WhatsAPP® and LinkedIN® Accounts...

www.FedPrimeRate.com - The Latest "Job Opportunity" Scam via My WhatsAPP and LinkedIN Accounts...www.FedPrimeRate.com - The Latest "Job Opportunity" Scam via My WhatsAPP and LinkedIN Accounts...www.FedPrimeRate.com - The Latest "Job Opportunity" Scam via My WhatsAPP and LinkedIN Accounts...

The scammer goes by the name "Alexia," and his/her phone number on WhatsAPP
-- (www.WhatsAPP.com) --
in this instance is +1 (650) 613-5608

This scam artist got my number at LinkedIN.com
 
My phone number is listed publicly there for all to see. It's not a real threat because it's a free voice over IP (VOIP) number, provided by a reliable VOIP provider

========
[9/12/2024 12:01 PM] SCAMMER: Hello! I am Alexia, I heard from Leslie that you are looking for a job, do you have time to learn more about this position?

[9/12/2024 12:38 PM] -ME- : OK

[9/12/2024 12:41 PM] SCAMMER: Ok, thanks for your response. Let me explain the details of a job to you now. If you have any questions, you can ask me.

[9/12/2024 12:41 PM] -ME- : OK

[9/12/2024 12:44 PM] SCAMMER: Our company specializes in hotel bookings and offers various assessment roles. We have developed a work platform equipped with an advanced algorithm that enhances the visibility of hotel bookings we manage. This system helps generate real traffic and improve the ranking of hotels that have recently experienced higher occupancy rates.

[9/12/2024 12:55 PM] -ME- : OK

[9/12/2024 12:58 PM] SCAMMER: okay, now let me tell you what you need to do.

[9/12/2024 12:59 PM] -ME- : OK

[9/12/2024 1:03 PM] SCAMMER: In this position, you’ll need to complete two sets of tasks daily, each set consist with 40 hotel orders. The system will assign these orders to you, and all you need to do is click "Submit" to upload them. The system will then handle the rest by analyzing and processing the orders based on each user's unique network IP and process them accordingly.

[9/12/2024 1:44 PM] -ME- : So the job is just clicking [SUBMIT]?

[9/12/2024 1:47 PM] SCAMMER: Yes but it plays a crucial role in improving the visibility and ranking of hotel bookings. Your work helps ensure that the system can accurately process and analyze the data, which in turn supports better outcomes for the hotels we work with.

[9/12/2024 2:01 PM] -ME- : OK

[9/12/2024 2:06 PM] SCAMMER: Great, Now if you don’t have any other questions about the content of the position, then let me tell you about your job income and start training, ok?
[9/12/2024 2:08 PM] -ME- : OK

[9/12/2024 2:14 PM] SCAMMER: Your total income includes a basic salary plus commission. You earn commission by completing two sets of evaluation tasks each day. For each hotel order, you can earn between 0.25% to 1% commission. For example, if you evaluate orders worth $100, you could earn up to $20 in commission from completing two sets of tasks.

[9/12/2024 2:17 PM] SCAMMER: And the basic salary is calculated based on the number of consecutive working days after completing two sets of work. The salary structure is as follows:
3 days: $160
5 days: $500
15 days: $1,200
30 days: $3,300
In total, if you work continuously for 30 days, you would earn $5,160.

[9/12/2024 2:18 PM] : OK

[9/12/2024 2:20 PM] SCAMMER: Btw, do you use a wallet similar to cashapp? For example, Metamask, Trustwallet, or Paypal. This kind of wallet is convenient for us to receive our commissions and salary after completing our task every day.

[9/12/2024 2:22 PM] : Receiving or remitting? I'm a bit confused...

[9/12/2024 2:23 PM] SCAMMER: I mentioned you there receive, then why you are confused?

[9/12/2024 2:25 PM] SCAMMER: Have you used any of these?

[9/12/2024 6:02 PM] SCAMMER: Good Evening! As the sun sets, let your worries fade. Every ending is a chance for a new beginning. Embrace the possibilities that lie ahead!

[9/12/2024 9:18 PM] -ME- : Metamask, Trustwallet, or Paypal? Yes.

[9/12/2024 9:27 PM] SCAMMER: Do you have all of these wallets?

[9/12/2024 9:27 PM] -ME- : PayPal

[9/12/2024 9:32 PM] SCAMMER: OK, Now if there are no problems, I'll provide you with an online training and let you operate a set of assessment tasks on the platform. I will guide you on how to complete it and get 20% commission for training.

[9/12/2024 9:41 PM] -ME- : OK

[9/13/2024 10:16 AM] +1 (650) 613-5608: Good Morning How's your day going?

[9/13/2024 10:17 AM] +1 (650) 613-5608: OK, now you need to open the platform URL and use my invitation code to register your own account. Please let me know after you complete the registration.

URL: BOOKINGONVIP.COM
Invitation Code: ZIMN27

[9/13/2024 11:10 AM] : Please see that attached screen shot. It is what I got when I tried to visit the URL you just sent me....🤷🏼‍♂

[9/13/2024 12:06 PM] SCAMMER: Sorry, I forgot to mention that our platform has been updated, so the platform URL has also changed. Can you use this: https://booking-vip.top
=========

👉 THIS MESSAGE WAS SENT THE NEXT DAY: Good Afternoon! 🎉 Weekends are for dreaming big and making plans. Use today to set new goals and get excited about the possibilities ahead. The best is yet to come! 🤮😡🤮😡🤮😡🤮😡🤮😡🤮😡🤮😡🤮😡
=========

As you can see, this scam artist throws in lots of detail, with numbers 💸🤔💰🤔💸.  Seems almost legit, doesn't it? 😡

The deceptive domains even have
"https://" encryption...Because Internet baddies need to watch out for scammers too!

  • NB: www.Booking.com is a 100% legitimate website.

This and other scam artists use fake / deceptive / scam domain names to trick people.

The scam domains in this case are -- and PLEASE DON'T VISIT THESE DOMAINS! THEY ARE DANGEROUS! -- ⧨👇⧩ :

> 📛💣📛💣 Booking-VIP.TOP📛💣📛💣 <
   >
💣📛💣 BookingOnVIP.COM💣📛💣 <

These deceptive domains even have "https://" encryption...Because Internet baddies need to watch out for scammers too! 🤮

==========

UPDATE: Tuesday, September 17, 2024, 2:53 PM EST - The scammer has not let up.  He/she just sent me this BS motivational message on WhatsAPP:

"Good afternoon! Remember, every small step you take today is a step closer to your bigger dreams. Keep moving forward!"

🤔: Perhaps this scammer just finished browsing a Tony Robbins book or something.  RIDICULOUS!  Like these words are going to make me more likely to fall for this scam. 100% CRAZY!

I'll probably be back with another update soon.  I have a feeling this person is not going to quit!  Stay tuned...

===========

UPDATE: Wednesday, September 18, 2024, 7:53 PM EST - The latest message on WhatsApp, from the same scammer:

-------------------

All good.

Due to maintenance, the URL for Booking.com has changed.
Therefore you can use this URL and use my invitation code to register your account.

URL : https://www.hotelwnnvip.com

Invitation Code : ZIMN27
-------------------

And this is how these scammers keep their scams going ad infinitum.  A fresh, new domain name, with the same scam setup.

    > 📛💣📛 HOTELWNNVIP.COM 💣📛💣 <

MAMA MIA!


The scammer's persistence continues!

I guess all the major browser makers out there are onto this scumbag. They are blocking his/her/their every move, and fast...

===============

WHOIS info:

Domain Name: HOTELWNNVIP.COM
Registry Domain ID: 2916711082_DOMAIN_COM-VRSN
Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.gname.com
Registrar URL: http://www.gname.com
Updated Date: 2024-09-13T21:53:23Z
Creation Date: 2024-09-13T21:53:23Z
Registry Expiry Date: 2025-09-13T21:53:23Z

==============

One of the reasons I registered my most important domain names for the maximum time frame -- 10 years -- and continue to add more time whenever I am able, is to send a strong signal to the search engines and browser makers: My domain names and I are 100% legit!

A domain name that is registered for 10 years shouldn't be treated the same as one that is registered at the bare minimum.  Makes sense...

Stay tuned! 

Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


--> www.FedPrimeRate.com Privacy Policy <--

--> SITEMAP <--


bing

bing


SCAMS!

FedPrimeRate.com
Entire Website © 1999 - 2025 FedPrimeRate.comSM


This website is neither affiliated nor associated with The United States Federal Reserve
in any way. Information in this website is provided for educational purposes only. The owners
of this website make no warranties with respect to any and all content contained within this
website. Consult a financial professional before making important decisions related to any
investment or loan product, including, but not limited to, business loans, personal loans,
education loans, first or second mortgages, credit cards, car loans or any type of insurance.