Overview
- NAR’s index fell to 71.8, the lowest since July, with signings down across the Northeast, Midwest, South, and West.
- Contract activity was 3.0% lower than a year earlier, signaling a weaker near-term pace for existing-home sales.
- Inventory of previously owned homes hovered near 1.18 million listings, matching 2025’s low and leaving buyers with few options.
- Homes took longer to sell, spending an average of 39 days on market versus 35 a year earlier, as labor-market worries cooled demand.
- Mortgage rates were roughly 6.25% when contracts were signed, and recent administration moves—including curbs on institutional buyers and MBS purchases—have nudged rates lower.