Contracts for existing home purchases rose for the fourth straight month in August and more than doubled the increase expected by most analysts. The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) says its Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI) rose from 122.1 in July to 132.8 in August, an increase of 8.8 percent. The PHSI, based on contracts to purchase existing single-family houses, townhouses, condos, and cooperative apartments, is now at an all time high and is 24.2 percent above its level in August 2019. The index is also up 44.6 points from the point to which it plunged in April after the widespread business closures and stay-at-home responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most analysts had looked for a strong report, but still didn’t come close to predicting the actual gains. Those polled by Econoday
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