Purchases of new U.S. homes rebounded in October from the lowest level in more than a year, signaling buyers are starting to take higher mortgage rates in stride, Bloomberg News reported yesterday. Sales jumped 25.4 percent to a 444,000 annualized pace, following a 354,000 rate in the prior month that was the weakest since April 2012, figures from the Commerce Department showed today in Washington. Home sales are regaining strength as gains in employment and stock prices help consumers adjust to this year’s increase in borrowing costs and property values, which have hurt affordability. Builders such Hovnanian Enterprises Inc. are optimistic about the outlook for the market, which will need to expand to meet the needs of a growing population.
