Home resales stateside surprisingly gained ground in November, reaching their highest level in nearly 10 years, perhaps as buyers rushed into the market to lock in low interest rates in anticipation of further increases in borrowing costs.
Figures released Wednesday by the U.S. National Association of Realtors said existing home sales increased 0.7% to an annual rate of 5.61 million units last month, the most blistering sales pace since February 2007.
October's sales pace was revised down to 5.57 million units from the previously reported 5.6 million units.
Economists had forecast sales slipping 1% to a 5.5-million-unit pace in November. Sales were up 15.4% from a year ago.
Existing home sales rose in the Northeast and South, but fell in the Midwest and West last month.
Mortgage rates have surged in the wake of Donald Trump's victory in the Nov. 8 presidential election. Trump's proposal to increase infrastructure spending and slash taxes is seen as inflationary.
Since the election, the fixed 30-year mortgage rate has increased about 60 basis points to an average 4.16%, the highest level since October 2014, according to data from Freddie Mac.
Mortgage rates could rise further after the Federal Reserve raised its benchmark overnight interest rate last week by 25 basis points to a range of 0.5% to 0.75%
