Final answer:
The correct answer is distressed sales. The number of new single-family houses sold dropped dramatically from 2006 through 2011, suggesting a housing market crisis. Distressed sales are properties sold under financial distress, such as foreclosures or short sales.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer is c) Distressed sales.
The information provided in the question is not sufficient to determine the answer. However, based on the given sources, we can conclude that distressed sales showed a declining share of overall home sales at the end of 2012. Distressed sales refer to properties that are sold under financial distress, such as foreclosures or short sales.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau data provided, the number of new single-family houses sold dropped dramatically from 2006 through 2011. This suggests that the overall home sales were affected by the housing market crisis during that period. Distressed sales are often more common during times of economic downturns, so it is likely that their share of overall home sales declined by the end of 2012.