A record 1,540 new homes were sold in June 2009, the Central Bureau of Statistics reported today, in line with earlier projections. If home sales data from the Ministry of Housing and Construction is added, 1,978 new homes were sold in June, 43.8% more than the 1,375 new homes sold in June 2008. June home sales were 11% higher than the 1,420 new homes sold in May.
First half new home sales totaled 7,300, 12% more than in the first half of 2008.
44% of new home sales in the first half were in the Central District, and 23% were in the Tel Aviv District. In other words, two-thirds of new home sales were in metropolitan Tel Aviv and suburbs.
First half new home sales rose sharply in most parts of the country, compared with the first half of last year. Sales were up 92.3% in the Jerusalem District, 27.2% in the Haifa District, 15.1% in the Central District, and 11.5% in the Southern District. In contrast, first half new home sales were down 7% in the Northern District and 3.6% in the Tel Aviv District. The sharpest fall was in Judea and Samaria, where 120 new homes were sold in the first half, compared with 231 new homes in the first half of 2008.
The inventory of new homes plummeted with the increase in sales. Inventory of 7,800 new homes at the end of June was 21% less than a year earlier.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on July 29, 2009
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