In the second quarter, Gwinnett County was once again head and shoulders above its neighbors in terms of housing starts, closings and lot deliveries, according to a new report. 

The modest 1% decline could indicate the current housing cycle is reaching a bottom as mortgage rates recede from their recent high, the National Association of REALTORS® said. 

The median price of a new home sold during the month was up 5.9%, however, according to figures from the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 

Nationally, the median sales price slid 2.9% from June but rose 8.1% from July 2021, while closed transactions were down 16.6% on a monthly basis and 26.3% on a yearly one, RE/MAX said in its National Housing Report.

A recent decline in mortgage rates could return some purchasing power to buyers going forward, National Association of REALTORS® chief economist Lawrence Yun said. 

The pace of housing starts for both single-family and multifamily residences was down on a month over month basis, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reported. 

The NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index fell for the eighth straight month in August, as the key measure of builder confidence indicated a pessimistic outlook. 

Other market metrics, including sales volume, units sold and new listings also declined on a month-over-month basis. 

Home prices were up 18.3% on a year-over-year basis and 0.6% month over month. Looking ahead, CoreLogic expects year-over-year appreciation to slow to 4.3% by June 2023. 

“Contract signings to buy a home will keep tumbling down as long as mortgage rates keep climbing, as has happened this year to date.” — National Association of Realtors chief economist Lawrence Yun  

At the same time, the inventory of new homes for sale rose 10.7%, the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reported.

The pace of new multifamily construction, however, jumped, according to the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.  

Housing inventory was up 30.5% year over year, while new listings were up 5.5%, according to the Atlanta REALTORS® Association. 

At the same time, the median existing-home price rose 13.4% year over year to $416,000. 

Nationwide, sales hit their highest level of the year, rising 4.7% from June but falling 17.6% on a year-over-year basis, RE/MAX said. 

July saw the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index post its second-largest monthly drop ever, as worries about housing affordability dampened builder sentiment.