New Home Sales And Prices Both Drop In May

WASHINGTON D.C. (AP) — Sales of new homes tumbled for the sixth time in seven months while median prices kept plunging, underscoring the depth of the nation’s housing woes.

The Commerce Department reported Wednesday that new homes were sold at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 512,000 units in May, down 2.5 percent from the April level. The median price of a new home sold last month fell to $231,000, down 5.7 percent from a year ago.

The report on new home activity in May followed reports Tuesday that showed record home price drops in April, showing that the nation’s housing slump is not only deepening but widening to include previously untouched parts of the country.