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Only 44,000 homes ready for occupants were on the market at the end of October.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
New-home sales remained sky-high in historical terms in October as properties changed hands at a seasonally adjusted annual rate 41.5% above the year-earlier level, according to government data.
Sales slipped 0.3% to an annual rate of 999,000 from a revised September rate of 1,002,000, according to figures the Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development released on Wednesday. The consensus call among Wall Street economists was for sales of 972,500.
The last time the October rate exceeded 999,000 was in 2005, before the 2008-2009 financial crisis, according to historical data. Year to date, new…
