US Pending Home Sales Rise for Third Straight Month

2026-05-19 14:04 By Joana Ferreira 1 min. read

US pending home sales increased 1.4% month-over-month in April 2026, following an upwardly revised 1.7% gain in March and surpassing market expectations of 1%.

This marks the third consecutive month of growth, with rises in the Northeast (6.6%), Midwest (3.0%), and West (0.4%).

Year-over-year, pending sales climbed 3.2%.

NAR Chief Economist Dr. Lawrence Yun noted, “Buyers are returning with cautious optimism despite economic uncertainty and a slight rise in mortgage rates.

Demand would be even stronger if mortgage rates returned to earlier 2026 levels.” He added that historically low foreclosure sales mean minimal price discounts, with most markets seeing higher prices than a year ago.

Yun warned, “Unless supply increases significantly, home price growth could outpace wage growth, further reducing homeownership rates.

All efforts must focus on boosting housing supply.”



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US Pending Home Sales Rise for Third Straight Month
US pending home sales increased 1.4% month-over-month in April 2026, following an upwardly revised 1.7% gain in March and surpassing market expectations of 1%. This marks the third consecutive month of growth, with rises in the Northeast (6.6%), Midwest (3.0%), and West (0.4%). Year-over-year, pending sales climbed 3.2%. NAR Chief Economist Dr. Lawrence Yun noted, “Buyers are returning with cautious optimism despite economic uncertainty and a slight rise in mortgage rates. Demand would be even stronger if mortgage rates returned to earlier 2026 levels.” He added that historically low foreclosure sales mean minimal price discounts, with most markets seeing higher prices than a year ago. Yun warned, “Unless supply increases significantly, home price growth could outpace wage growth, further reducing homeownership rates. All efforts must focus on boosting housing supply.”
2026-05-19
US Pending Home Sales Rise Further
US pending home sales rose by 1.5% from the previous month in March of 2026, extending the upwardly revised 2.5% increase from February, and significantly outperforming the market expectation of a 0.1% increase. The increase was carried by a 4.4% increase in the Northeast region and a 3.8% jump in the South region, which offset the 2.6% drop in the West and 1.3% decrease in the Midwest. “Contract signings rose in March despite higher mortgage rates, pointing to pent-up housing demand,” said NAR Chief Economist Dr. Lawrence Yun. “A greater supply of inventory will help translate that demand into more home sales. Demand sensitivity to mortgage rates is greatest among first-time buyers, particularly younger buyers,” Yun said. “As a result, boosting supply and new-home construction should focus on smaller, more affordable homes.”
2026-04-21
US Pending Home Sales Rebound in February
US pending home sales increased by 1.8% month-over-month in February 2026, reversing two consecutive months of declines and surpassing market expectations of a 0.5% drop. Regional performance varied, with gains in the Midwest (+4.6%), South (+2.7%), and West (+0.9%), while the Northeast saw a decline (-3.6%). On a year-over-year basis, pending home sales fell by 0.8%. According to NAR Chief Economist Dr. Lawrence Yun, the modest rise in pending contracts reflects improved affordability conditions, though this progress could be threatened if rising oil prices push mortgage rates higher. Yun noted that the Midwest, being the most affordable region, led the gains in February, while the Northeast struggled due to elevated home prices and limited supply.
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