Housing inventory

The National Association of Realtors' index of contract signings increased 1.1% from a month earlier to 72.6, the group reported Thursday.

The single-family rental giant struck a deal to manage homes for another major landlord at a time when scarce inventory of properties for sale is making it hard to expand.

Contract closings decreased 2% from a month earlier to a 3.96 million annualized pace, National Association of Realtors data showed Thursday.

Residential starts increased 7% last month after falling by the most in over a year in August, according to government data released Wednesday.

The triple threat of tight supply, elevated prices and historically high mortgage rates continues to weigh on sales, even as home builders are offering incentives to potential buyers.

Contract closings decreased 0.7% from a month earlier to a 4.04 million annualized pace, National Association of Realtors data showed Thursday.

On average since 1970, new home sales volumes decline 7% month-over-month in September and 13% quarter-over-quarter in the final months of the year, according to analysts. 

Loan applications for single-family constructions jumped for the seventh month in a row, with increasing interest coming from first-time buyers, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

But some of the noise beneath the data suggests a possible transition might be underway, according to analysts.

Purchases of new single-family homes increased 4.4% to an annualized 714,000 pace after downward revisions to prior months, government data showed Wednesday.