WASHINGTON--Sales of existing single-family homes set a new annual record in 2001 and monthly sales slipped in December, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR).
There were a total of 5.25 million exiting home sales in 2001, up 2.7% from 5.11 million in 2000. The previous record was 5.21 million sales in 1999. NAR began tracking the existing-home sales series in 1968.