Interactive Inventory Chart for 18 housing regions

click on the headline to start the chart for 18 metro regions

bitte auf die überschrift klicken um die einzelnen regionen im chart zu sehen

The supply of houses and condominiums available for sale continues to grow quickly in much of the U.S., reflecting weak sales.

The number of homes listed for sale in 18 major metropolitan areas at the end of April was up 7% from March.

The increase was above the seasonal norm. Over the past 22 years, home inventories nationwide have increased an average of 4.5% in April from March...

Some of the biggest increases last month were in the metro areas of San Francisco, up about 19%; Washington, 17%; Orange County, Calif., 15%; and Seattle, 14%. Inventories declined nearly 1% in the Los Angeles area, according to Zip.

In a report issued yesterday, Ivy Zelman, a Cleveland-based housing analyst for Credit Suisse, said her building-industry contacts have been surprised by the weakness of sales recently, "given the typical seasonal bounce that occurs at this time of year." She added, "Our contacts have officially declared the spring selling season a bust." Many people who had expected a recovery by year end "now believe the market rebound will be pushed out until 2008 at the earliest," Ms. Zelman wrote.