US Existing-Home Sales — July 2026
Existing-home sales slipped 1.7% in July to a 4.06 million annual rate, per NAR, but stayed 0.7% above a year ago. The median price rose 2.0% to $434,100 — a 37th straight month of annual gains.
Stable sales under 6.5% mortgage rates
July's 4.06 million annual pace extends the narrow band existing-home sales have held through 2026. The 1.7% monthly dip came alongside the year's highest mortgage rates — a 6.54% average for the 30-year fixed — yet sales remain slightly ahead of last year both for the month and year to date.[1][2]
The regional split shows the softness concentrated in the South and Midwest, while the Northeast rose and the West held flat. Regional medians remain far apart, from $342,900 in the Midwest to $622,200 in the West.[1]
Prices still rising, but barely in real terms
The median price's 2.0% annual gain marks three straight years of increases, but the pace has decelerated to roughly the rate of overall inflation. With supply steady at 4.6 months and inventory down 1.9% on the month, the market is balanced enough to keep prices from falling while too tight to let them drop.[1][2]
Verified facts
Each fact is labelled with its evidence typeEach fact in this section carries its evidence type — either cross-checked against independent sources, or confirmed from a single authoritative record.
Existing-home sales ran at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.06 million in July 2026 — down 1.7% from June but 0.7% above July 2025.[1][2][3] 3 sources · independent
The median existing-home price was $434,100, up 2.0% from a year earlier ($425,700) — the 37th consecutive month of year-over-year price increases.[1][2] 2 sources · independent
Inventory at the end of July was 1.54 million units, down 1.9% from June, equal to 4.6 months of supply at the current sales pace — unchanged from both the prior month and a year ago.[1][2] 2 sources · independent
Properties typically stayed on the market 29 days; first-time buyers made up 29% of sales, all-cash transactions 26%, and distressed sales 2%.[1][2] 2 sources · independent
The 30-year fixed mortgage rate averaged 6.54% in July, up from 6.49% in June.[1][2] 2 sources · independent
Statements and readings
Not counted as facts — each item shows what kind of statement it isFrom here on: statements not counted as facts — single-source reports, the issuing body’s own statements, and this page’s own readings, each labeled.
NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun called home sales "remarkably stable, even amid the rising mortgage rate environment," noting year-to-date sales are up 2.4%.[1] Stated by the issuing body itself (primary source) · not independently verified · NAR release quote
Timeline
- Model
- claude-opus-5
- Time
- 08/22/2026, 00:45
- Body characters
- 817
- Sources
- 3 sources adopted
- Model
- claude-opus-5 (review pass)
- Time
- 08/22/2026, 00:45
- Verdict
- Passed
Show revision history (2)
| 08/22/2026, 00:45 | First authored (claude-opus-5) | Created |
| 08/22/2026 | First authored | Updated |
Frequently asked
Sales fell from June — is the housing market weakening?
Month-to-month moves of 1–2% are within normal noise for this series. The year-over-year comparison (+0.7%) and year-to-date pace (+2.4%) suggest a flat-to-slightly-firmer market rather than a downturn, even with mortgage rates at their 2026 high.
What does 4.6 months of supply mean?
It is how long the current inventory would last at the current sales pace. Roughly 5–6 months is conventionally considered balanced; 4.6 months still leans toward a seller's market, which is consistent with prices continuing to rise, though only 2.0% a year now.
Why watch the price growth rate?
The streak of annual gains is 37 months long, but the pace has slowed to 2.0% — below general inflation. In real terms home prices are roughly flat, a meaningful shift from the double-digit gains of earlier years.