Home sales fell again in April after high mortgage rates damped activity

Home sales fell in April for the second straight month, as high mortgage rates and near-record home prices continue to stall the market during the prime selling season.

Sales of previously owned homes decreased 1.9% from the prior month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.14 million, the National Association of Realtors said Wednesday. 

The decline last month came as a surprise to housing analysts. Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal estimated sales of previously owned...