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Home Sales Were the Lowest in Almost 30 Years in 2023

The National Assn. of Realtors said Friday that existing U.S. home sales totaled 4.09 million last year, an 18.7% decline from 2022. That is the weakest year for home sales since 1995 and the biggest annual decline since 2007, the start of the housing slump of the late 2000s.

In California, home sales fell 24.8% in 2023 from the previous year, the biggest drop since the 2007 housing slump, according to the California Assn. of Realtors. The state’s median home price — the point at which half the homes sold for more and half sold for less — reached $819,740 in December, up 6.4% from a year earlier.

Source: Los Angeles Times

These are the 10 best U.S. metro areas to buy a house in 2024...

A December report from real estate broker Realtor.com ranked the best U.S. cities to buy a house in 2024 based on expected price growth and sales.

The annual report analyzed the country’s 100 largest metropolitan areas and the final result is a list with half of the top metros in California.

10 best U.S. metro areas to buy a house in 2024:

1. Toledo, OH

2. Oxnard/Thousand Oaks/ Ventura, CA

3. Rochester, NY

4. San Diego/Chula Vista/Carlsbad, CA

5. Riverside/San Bernardino/Ontario, CA

6. Bakersfield, CA

7. Springfield, MA

8. Worcester, MA-CT

9. Grand Rapid/Kentwood, MI

10. Los Angeles/Long Beach/Anaheim, CA

The No. 2 best place in the U.S. to buy a house is Oxnard/Thousand Oaks/Ventura, California.

The California metropolitan area is expected to see existing home sales climb by 18% year-over-year. The median sale price of existing homes is expected to jump by 3.3%, according to the report.

Do you think interest rates will drop below 6% in 2024?

2024 predictions:

6.1% Mortgage bankers association

6.3% National Association of Realtors

6.5% Fannie Mae

6.8% Realtor.com