(Kitco News) - The U.S. housing market is showing some signs of stability as American consumers bought more new homes in December than expected.
U.S. economic data continues to be significantly delayed as the government plays catch-up following the 43-day shutdown through October. New home sales fell 1.7% in December to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 745,000, down from November’s rate of 758,000, the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced Friday. Although sales declined, the data beat expectations, as economists were looking for a lower rate of 732,000.
For the year, home sales were up 3.8%, the report said.
Looking at the total sales data, the report said an estimated 679,000 new homes were sold last year, down 1.1% compared to 2024 sales estimates.
The gold market is not paying much attention to the latest housing market data, as prices continue to trade near resistance around $5,000 an ounce. Spot gold last traded at $5,009.10 an ounce, roughly unchanged on the day.
According to economists, the U.S. housing market continues to struggle, as rising prices and elevated mortgage rates are pricing many potential buyers out of the market.
The report painted a mixed picture of housing prices. The median sales price of new houses sold in December 2025 was $414,400, down 4.2% from November; however, prices are 2% below where they were last year.
Meanwhile, the average sales price of new houses sold in December 2025 was $532,600, up 0.5% from November. However, average prices are up 4.7% from December 2024.
Economists note that home prices have remained elevated as market supply remains constrained. The report said the current sales rate represents a 7.6-month supply, down 1.3% from November and down 7.3% from last year.
