The National Association of Realtors (NAR) said on Monday its Pending Home Sales Index, based on contracts signed last month, increased 6.1 percent to 103.9, the highest level since September of last year. The number of contracts went up in all regions of the country, with the Northeast and West experiencing the largest gains.
"The housing market is likely to continue recovering lost ground following its weather-induced stumble earlier this year," said Gennadiy Goldberg, an economist at TD Securities in New York. "We look for the stronger pending home sales report to help put fears of 'flattening' housing market momentum to rest in the near-term."