Previously Owned U.S. Home Sales Climb to 4.92 Million

``Purchases of existing houses, tabulated when a contract closes, increased 0.4 percent to a 4.92 million annual rate, figures from the National Association of Realtors showed today in Washington. The median forecast of 79 economists surveyed by Bloomberg called for a 4.9 million pace. The number of available properties slumped to the lowest level since 1999.''