In this April 1, 2020 photo, a "For Sale" sign stands in front of a home that is in the process of being sold in Monroe, Wash., outside of Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)
By Matt Ott
U.S. home sales rose a record-breaking 24.7% in July, extending June's rebound after the coronavirus pandemic all but froze the housing market this spring.
National Association of Realtors said Friday that sales of existing homes jumped last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.86 million. With two straight months of record-breaking gains, purchases are now up 8.7% from a year ago. Home sales rose 20.7% in June, a record that lasted one month.
The housing market has been one of the more resilient sectors of the economy during the pandemic, but market activity continues to hinge on supply, which was limited even before the coronavirus outbreak. New listings are running slightly higher than last year, but buyers are snatching up them quickly.
The median price for a home cracked the $300,000 mark for the first time ever, settling at $304,100, up 8.5% from July 2019.
The U.S. economy added 272,000 jobs in May, far more than expected. But that number doesn't tell the whole story. Interest rate cuts could still be on the way.
The AI boom is heating up worldwide competition, the NBA is cashing in, and short-selling is (surprise!) risky. Plus, who are this week's Usual Suspects?
A.I. Reporter at The Verge, Kylie Robison, joins Cheddar to discuss everything you need to know about artificial intelligence, from Nvidia to Musk and OpenAI.