Existing-home sales fell in the first month of the year as buyers continued to struggle with high home prices and 7% mortgage rates. Home sales fell 4.9% in January to a 4.08 million pace. That’s the number of homes that would be sold over an entire year if sales took place at the same rate in every month as they did in December.

Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell in January as rising mortgage rates and prices put off many would-be homebuyers despite a wider selection of properties on the market.

Tight conditions are squeezing buyers across the country. In Westchester County, New York, real estate agent Pamela Grunstein is navigating a market that has 1.6 months of supply – a far cry from the 6 months or so that’s long been considered the sign of an evenly balanced market.

The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. eased for the fifth week in a row to its lowest level since late December, a welcome boost for prospective homebuyers in what’s traditionally the busiest time of the year for home sales.

Mortgage rates moved slightly lower this week, but not enough to motivate most buyers. The average rate on the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage fell five basis points to 6.79% the week