Home Sales Down Sharp 3.4%

WASHINGTON — Hampered by poor weather in much of the nation, sales of existing single-family homes fell 3.4% in November, the sharpest drop in nine months, a real estate trade group reported today.

The National Assn. of Realtors said previously owned homes were sold at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.43 million units in November, after a 2.9% rise in October. Even with the decline, sales were 21.2% above where they were a year ago.