FILE - In this Thursday, Jan. 8, 2015 file photo, a "sale pending" sign is posted atop a realty sign in front of a home in Surfside, Fla. The National Association of Realtors releases its January report on pending home sales, which are seen as a barometer of future purchases, on Thursday, May 28, 2015. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans signed contracts to buy homes in April at the fastest pace in nearly nine years, evidence that steady job growth is strengthening the real estate market.