By Anna Louie Sussman | The Wall Street Journal
Sales of existing homes rose in April for the second straight month, driven by a jump in the Midwest, as housing demand firms alongside steady job growth and historically low interest rates.
Sales rose 1.7% in April from the prior month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.45 million, the National Association of Realtors said Friday. Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal had expected sales would rise 1.3% to a rate of 5.40 million in April.