The US government estimates that 374,000 new homes were sold in 2009, a 23% dip from 2008 and the lowest number since the government started records in 1963.
Government figures show a 10% fall in sales on newly-built single-family homes in December.
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) said the figures showed the road to housing recovery was proving to be a “very bumpy ride”, with the weak economy and job market continuing to drag on consumers’ willingness to go forward with purchases at the end of 2009.
“We do, however, expect more buyers to begin to take advantage of the new tax credit in the coming months,” said NAHB chairman Bob Jones.
NAHB chief economist David Crowe said it was likely that some home sales had been pulled forward to earlier months to take advantage of the previous tax credit that expired at the end of Novmber, thus exacerbating the December decline.
