The average sales price of new homes in the United States experienced a slight decrease in 2024, dropping to 512,2000 U.S. dollars from the peak of 521,500 U.S. dollars in 2022. This decline came after years of substantial price increases, with the average price surpassing 400,000 U.S. dollars for the first time in 2021. The recent cooling in the housing market reflects broader economic trends and changing consumer sentiment towards homeownership. Factors influencing home prices and affordability The rapid rise in home prices over the past few years has been driven by several factors, including historically low mortgage rates and increased demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the market has since slowed down, with the number of home sales declining by over two million between 2021 and 2023. This decline can be attributed to rising mortgage rates and decreased affordability. The Housing Affordability Index hit a record low of 98.1 in 2023, indicating that the median-income family could no longer afford a median-priced home. Future outlook for the housing market Despite the recent cooling, experts forecast a potential recovery in the coming years. The Freddie Mac House Price Index showed a growth of 6.5 percent in 2023, which is still above the long-term average of 4.4 percent since 1990. However, homebuyer sentiment remains low across all age groups, with people aged 45 to 64 expressing the most pessimistic outlook. The median sales price of existing homes is expected to increase slightly until 2025, suggesting that affordability challenges may persist in the near future.

Key information about House Prices Growth

• US house prices grew 5.2% YoY in Sep 2024, following an increase of 6.2% YoY in the previous quarter.
• YoY growth data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1992 to Sep 2024, with an average growth rate of 5.5%.
• House price data reached an all-time high of 17.7% in Sep 2021 and a record low of -12.4% in Dec 2008.

CEIC calculates House Prices Growth from quarterly House Price Index. Federal Housing Finance Agency provides House Price Index with base January 1991=100.

The U.S. housing market has slowed, after 13 consecutive years of rising home prices. In 2021, house prices surged by an unprecedented 18 percent, marking the highest increase on record. However, the market has since cooled, with the Freddie Mac House Price Index showing more modest growth between 2022 and 2024. In 2024, home prices increased by 4.2 percent. That was lower than the long-term average of 4.4 percent since 1990. Impact of mortgage rates on homebuying The recent cooling in the housing market can be partly attributed to rising mortgage rates. After reaching a record low of 2.96 percent in 2021, the average annual rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage more than doubled in 2023. This significant increase has made homeownership less affordable for many potential buyers, contributing to a substantial decline in home sales. Despite these challenges, forecasts suggest a potential recovery in the coming years. How much does it cost to buy a house in the U.S.? In 2023, the median sales price of an existing single-family home reached a record high of over 389,000 U.S. dollars. Newly built homes were even pricier, despite a slight decline in the median sales price in 2023. Naturally, home prices continue to vary significantly across the country, with West Virginia being the most affordable state for homebuyers.

House prices grew year-on-year in most states in the U.S. in the third quarter of 2024. The District of Columbia was the only exception, with a decline of three percent. The annual appreciation for single-family housing in the U.S. was 0.71 percent, while in Hawaii—the state where homes appreciated the most—the increase exceeded 10 percent. How have home prices developed in recent years? House price growth in the U.S. has been going strong for years. In 2024, the median sales price of a single-family home exceeded 413,000 U.S. dollars, up from 277,000 U.S. dollars five years ago. One of the factors driving house prices was the cost of credit. The record-low federal funds effective rate allowed mortgage lenders to set mortgage interest rates as low as 2.3 percent. With interest rates on the rise, home buying has also slowed, causing fluctuations in house prices. Why are house prices growing? Many markets in the U.S. are overheated because supply has not been able to keep up with demand. How many homes enter the housing market depends on the construction output, whereas the availability of existing homes for purchase depends on many other factors, such as the willingness of owners to sell. Furthermore, growing investor appetite in the housing sector means that prospective homebuyers have some extra competition to worry about. In certain metros, for example, the share of homes bought by investors exceeded 20 percent in 2024.

Graph and download economic data for Median Sales Price of Houses Sold for the United States (MSPUS) from Q1 1963 to Q4 2024 about sales, median, housing, and USA.

In 2022, house price growth in the UK slowed, after a period of decade-long increase. Nevertheless, in August 2024, prices reached a new peak, with the average home costing close to 290,000 British pounds. That figure refers to all property types, including detached, semi-detached, terraced houses, and flats and maisonettes. Compared to other European countries, the UK had some of the highest house prices. How have UK house prices increased over the last 10 years? Property prices have risen dramatically over the past decade. According to the UK house price index, the average house price has grown by over 50 percent since 2015. This price development has led to the gap between the cost of buying and renting a property to close. In 2023, buying a three-bedroom house in the UK was no longer more affordable than renting one. Consequently, Brits have become more likely to rent longer and push off making a house purchase until they have saved up enough for a down payment and achieved the financial stability required to make the step. What caused the decline in house prices in 2022? House prices are affected by multiple factors, such as mortgage rates, supply, and demand on the market. For nearly a decade, the UK experienced uninterrupted house price growth as a result of strong demand and a chronic undersupply. Homebuyers who purchased a property at the peak of the housing boom in July 2022 paid 14 percent more compared to what they would have paid a year before. Additionally, 2022 saw the most dramatic increase in mortgage rates in recent history. Between December 2021 and December 2022, the 10-year fixed mortgage rate doubled, adding further strain to prospective homebuyers. As a result, the market cooled, leading to a correction in pricing.

House Price Index YoY in the United States remained unchanged at 4.80 percent in January. This dataset includes a chart with historical data for the United States FHFA House Price Index YoY.

Single Family Home Prices in the United States increased to 398400 USD in February from 393400 USD in January of 2025. This dataset provides - United States Existing Single Family Home Prices- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

House prices in the UK rose dramatically during the coronavirus pandemic, with growth slowing down in 2022 and turning negative in 2023. The year-on-year annual house price change peaked at 14 percent in July 2022. In June 2024, house prices increased by 2.7 percent. According to the Nationwide Building Society, the average house price exceeded 265,000 British pounds in 2022. Correction in housing prices: a European phenomenon The trend of a growing residential real estate market was not exclusive to the UK during the pandemic. Likewise, many European countries experienced falling prices in 2023. When comparing residential property RHPI (price index in real terms, e.g. corrected for inflation), countries such as Germany, France, Italy, and Spain also saw prices decline. Sweden, one of the countries with the fastest growing residential markets, saw one of the largest declines in prices. How has demand for UK housing changed since the outbreak of the coronavirus? The easing of the lockdown was followed by a dramatic increase in home sales. In November 2020, the number of mortgage approvals reached an all-time high of over 107,000. One of the reasons for the housing boom were the low mortgage rates, allowing home buyers to take out a loan with an interest rate as low as 2.5 percent. That changed as the Bank of England started to raise the base lending rate, resulting in higher borrowing costs and a decline in homebuyer sentiment.

Existing Home Sales in the United States increased to 4260 Thousand in February from 4090 Thousand in January of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - United States Existing Home Sales - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Key information about House Prices Growth

• China house prices dropped 4.1% YoY in Dec 2024, following a decrease of 4.8% YoY in the previous month.
• YoY growth data is updated monthly, available from Mar 1999 to Dec 2024, with an average growth rate of 7.4%.
• House price data reached an all-time high of 25.0% in Feb 2010 and a record low of -12.6% in Apr 1999.

CEIC calculates House Prices Growth from monthly Average Residential Property Price per Square Meter. The National Bureau of Statistics provides year-to-date Average Residential Property Price per Square Meter in local currency.

New Home Sales in the United States increased to 676 Thousand units in February from 664 Thousand units in January of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - United States New Home Sales - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Graph and download economic data for All-Transactions House Price Index for New York (NYSTHPI) from Q1 1975 to Q4 2024 about appraisers, NY, HPI, housing, price index, indexes, price, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for All-Transactions House Price Index for California (CASTHPI) from Q1 1975 to Q4 2024 about appraisers, CA, HPI, housing, price index, indexes, price, and USA.

Key information about House Prices Growth

• Switzerland house prices grew 0.9% YoY in Dec 2024, following an increase of 1.9% YoY in the previous quarter.
• YoY growth data is updated quarterly, available from Mar 1971 to Dec 2024, with an average growth rate of 2.4%.
• House price data reached an all-time high of 26.2% in Mar 1973 and a record low of -9.0% in Dec 1975.

CEIC calculates House Prices Growth from quarterly Real Estate Price Index. Swiss National Bank provides Real Estate Price Index with base Q1 2000=100. House Prices Growth covers single family homes only.

Graph and download economic data for All-Transactions House Price Index for Los Angeles County, CA (ATNHPIUS06037A) from 1975 to 2024 about Los Angeles County, CA; Los Angeles; CA; HPI; housing; price index; indexes; price; and USA.

Housing Index in Spain increased to 1972.10 EUR/SQ. METRE in the fourth quarter of 2024 from 1921 EUR/SQ. METRE in the third quarter of 2024. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - Spain House Prices - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

Housing Index in Portugal increased to 228.89 points in the third quarter of 2024 from 220.74 points in the second quarter of 2024. This dataset provides - Portugal House Price Index - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Key information about House Prices Growth

• Netherlands house prices grew 11.5% YoY in Jan 2025, following an increase of 10.9% YoY in the previous month.
• YoY growth data is updated monthly, available from Jan 1996 to Jan 2025, with an average growth rate of 4.7%.
• House price data reached an all-time high of 20.9% in Jan 2022 and a record low of -9.6% in Jan 2013.

CEIC calculates House Prices Growth from monthly House Price Index. 2.Statistics Netherlands provides House Price Index with base 2020=100.

The average price per square foot of floor space in new single-family housing in the United States decreased after the great financial crisis, followed by several years of stagnation. Since 2012, the price has continuously risen, hitting 168 U.S. dollars per square foot in 2022. In 2024, the average sales price of a new home exceeded 500,000 U.S. dollars. Development of house sales in the U.S. One of the reasons for rising property prices is the gradual growth of house sales between 2011 and 2020. This period was marked by the gradual recovery following the subprime mortgage crisis and a growing housing sentiment. Another significant factor for the housing demand was the growing number of new household formations each year. Despite this trend, housing transactions plummeted in 2021, amid soaring prices and borrowing costs. In 2021, the average construction cost for single-family housing rose by nearly 12 percent year-on-year, and in 2022, the increase was even higher, at close to 17 percent. Financing a house purchase Mortgage interest rates in the U.S. rose dramatically in 2022 and remained elevated until 2024. In 2020, a homebuyer could lock in a 30-year fixed interest rate of under three percent, whereas in 2024, the average rate for the same mortgage type was more than twice higher. That has led to a decline in homebuyer sentiment, and an increasing share of the population pessimistic about buying a home in the current market.