Sales of new single-family homes fell 0.2 percent in September, to a still-strong seasonally adjusted rate of 800,000 a year, the Commerce Department said Thursday.
It was the second consecutive decline, but September marked the fourth month in a row of sales at or above the 800,000 pace, the longest stretch in 19 years.
In the Midwest, new-home sales rose 2.1 percent.
Meanwhile, average commitment rates on U.S. 30- and 15-year fixed-rate mortgages fell nationally this week, Freddie Mac said Thursday.
Thirty-year mortgages declined to an average of 7.21 percent from last week’s 7.35 percent.
Fifteen-year mortgages fell to an average of 6.76 percent from 6.90 percent, and one-year adjustable-rate mortgages fell to 5.46 percent from last week’s 5.55 percent.
Freddie Mac said lenders charged an average of 1.7 percent in fees and points on 30-year loans, down from 1.8 percent last week.
A year ago, the 30-year rate averaged 7.78 percent, the 15-year 7.30 percent and the ARM 5.60 percent, according to Freddie Mac, a corporation chartered by Congress that buys mortgages and packages them into securities.
