The MBS Highway National Housing Index recovered slightly, rising to 34 in December 2023, from 31 in November 2023. In December 2022, the index was at 14.
The overall improvement was driven by a 7 point rebound in the Buyer Activity sub-index, which rose from 20 in November 2023 to 27 in December 2023. Clearly, the one percentage point drop in average 30-year mortgage rates during the last 6 weeks brought some buyers back to the market, in spite of limited inventory and seasonal factors. A year ago, the Buyer Activity sub-index was at 15.