Mortgage Refinance Center, Information and Resources

The National Association of Realtors, in a statement released on Tuesday, said that housing sales and prices in 2006 will remain strong but will not achieve the record levels of 2005.

Sales of existing homes are expect to drop to 6.74 million this year, a decline of 4.7 percent from the record high 7.07 million in 2005. New home sales will be down 8.5 percent to 1.17 million, setting yet another 2005 record of 1.28 million. While sales will decline, it is still expected to be the third best year for both existing and new home sales following last year and the earlier record setting 2004. Housing starts are likely to be down 9.3 percent this year at 1.87 million units.