US Existing Home Sales Lowest Since 2010

2026-11-12 15:06 By Agna Gabriel 1 min. read

Existing home sales in the US fell 5.5% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.75 million units in October 2026, the lowest level since August 2010 and below market expectations of 3.85 million.

NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun attributed the weakness to elevated mortgage rates, which have reached their highest levels since 2000, excluding one month in 2023.

He noted that homeowners remain financially secure due to accumulated housing wealth, while lower mortgage rates could unlock significant pent-up demand.

Sales were unchanged in the Northeast at 470,000 units, while the Midwest declined 3.2% to 900,000, the South fell 6.5% to 1.73 million and the West dropped 9.7% to 650,000.

Meanwhile, housing inventory rose 1.3% from September and 4.6% year over year to 1.59 million homes, equivalent to 5.1 months of supply, up from 4.7 months in September.

The median home price increased 0.4% from a year earlier to $416,700.



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US Existing Home Sales Lowest Since 2010
Existing home sales in the US fell 5.5% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.75 million units in October 2026, the lowest level since August 2010 and below market expectations of 3.85 million. NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun attributed the weakness to elevated mortgage rates, which have reached their highest levels since 2000, excluding one month in 2023. He noted that homeowners remain financially secure due to accumulated housing wealth, while lower mortgage rates could unlock significant pent-up demand. Sales were unchanged in the Northeast at 470,000 units, while the Midwest declined 3.2% to 900,000, the South fell 6.5% to 1.73 million and the West dropped 9.7% to 650,000. Meanwhile, housing inventory rose 1.3% from September and 4.6% year over year to 1.59 million homes, equivalent to 5.1 months of supply, up from 4.7 months in September. The median home price increased 0.4% from a year earlier to $416,700.
2026-11-12
US Existing Home Sales Remain Weak
Existing home sales in the United States rose by 1.5% from the two-year low in the previous month to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 3.99 million units in September of 2026, not too far from market expectations of 3.95 million. Total housing inventory reached 1.6 million units with the increase, 1.9% higher than the previous month to represent 4.8 months of supply under the latest sales rate. Sales recovered slightly in the South (2.8% to 1.86 million) and the West (2.8% to 0.73 million), offsetting a drop in the Northeast (-2.1% to 0.47 million) and a stall in the Midwest (at 0.93 million). “Despite the small monthly gain on a seasonally adjusted basis, August and September marked the two slowest months for home sales this year,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. “Further increases in mortgage rates in recent weeks mean fewer buyers can qualify to purchase a home.”
2026-10-13
US Existing Home Sales Fall as Expected
Existing home sales in the United States fell by 2.0% from the previous month to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 3.98 million units in August of 2026, aligned with market expectations. It follows a 1.7% decline in the previous months. Existing home sales declined in the Northeast (-4.0%), Midwest (-3.1%), and South (-1.6%) regions while sales were relatively unchanged in the West. Total housing inventory increased 3.2% to 1.62 million units and the median price was $429,100 for all housing types, a 1.6% increase from last year. “Mortgage rates and home sales move in opposite directions, so it's not surprising to see a mild dip in home buying activity due to high mortgage rates,” said NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun. Mortgage rates measured by leading mortgage providing institutions continued to rise through the period as soaring energy costs and ample corporate debt supply lifted longer-maturity yields.
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