New home sales totaled 1,933 in July 2012, the highest number since December 2011. July new homes sales were 12% higher than in the corresponding month of 2011, but 0.3% fewer than in June, the Central Bureau of Statistics reported today.
Demand for new homes was 3,126 homes in July, of which 1,933 were sold, and 1,193 homes were not for sale (either built by the owner or for buyers groups, or rental apartments).
New home sales in the Tel Aviv and Central districts fell in July, compared with June. Sales in the Tel Aviv District fell 26% to 221 apartments in July from 301 apartments in June, and were down from 236 apartments in July 2011, and sales in the Central district fell 6% to 720 apartments from 768 apartments, but were higher than the 659 new home sales in the corresponding month.
Sales in the Northern District rose 111% to 235 apartments in July from 235 homes in June, and sales in the Southern District rose 15% to 358 apartments in July from 211 apartments in June.
Demand for new homes was 5% higher in January-July 2012 than in June-December 2011, but 10% lower than in the corresponding period of 2011.
The housing inventory totaled 20,390 homes at the end of July, 17% more than a year earlier, but 2.2% less than at the end of June and down 5.1% from the peak in February. The housing inventory fell for the third consecutive month in July.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on August 28, 2012
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