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WASHINGTON - Home buyers rushed to qualify for an expiring federal tax credit, boosting resales of U.S. homes by 7.4% to a 6.54 million seasonally adjusted annual rate, the National Association of Realtors reported Tuesday. Boston Area homes were on a comparable trend.  The sales pace was the highest since February 2007 and was the third straight large increase. Sales are up 28% since August.  Buyers were rushing in November to finalize sales ahead of the Nov. 30 expiration for the tax credit, said Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the real estate lobbying group.  The tax credit was subsequently extended and expanded to include repeat buyers. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch were expecting existing home sales to rise to a 6.28 million annual pace in November.