US home sales rise Washington Sales of previously owned US homes rose for a second straight month in May but were weaker than expected, adding to growing fears of an anemic economic recovery from a deep recession. The chief economist of the National Association of Realtors, which released the data, said sales in some areas appeared to be slowing and warned of the danger of a delayed housing market recovery. The Realtors group said sales climbed 2.4% last month to an annual rate of 4.77 million units. While that pace was below market forecasts it was the second straight month sales had risen, for the first back-to-back gain since September 2005. Despite signs the market is stabilizing, the NAR said the median national home price fell 16.8% in May from a year earlier, the third-largest drop on record.