-7.3%

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Pending home sales decreased by 7.3% month over month in September and decreased by 11.3% year over year. Month over month pending home sales declined in all four major U.S. regions. Year over year pending home sales also fell across all regions.

“Market conditions weakened in September due to fast-rising mortgage rates,” said NAR Chief Economist Dr. Lawrence Yun. “Although job growth and income gains can support home purchases, housing affordability is more affected by changes in mortgage rates.”

Yun added, “Given that mortgage rates have already risen much more than the Federal Reserve’s short-term interest rate hikes, mortgage rates could be topping out. Despite the difficulty of obtaining a mortgage, the limited number of distressed properties is ensuring steady home prices. Buyers and sellers may simply be holding back until mortgage rates move favorably.”

Read the full news release.

Next release: Pending Home Sales for September 2026 will be released on Wednesday, November 18, 2026 at 10 a.m. Eastern.

The Pending Home Sales Index (PHS), a leading indicator of housing activity, measures housing contract activity, and is based on signed real estate contracts for existing single-family homes, condos, and co-ops. Because a home goes under contract a month or two before it is sold, the Pending Home Sales Index generally leads Existing-Home Sales by a month or two.

Pending Home Sales data are provided by NAR solely for use as a reference. No part of the data may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted or redistributed in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without NAR's prior written consent for those who are not members of NAR.

Members of the media who need copies of previous months' pending home sales news releases can contact the NAR media communications team at 202-383-7515.

Data

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Pending Home Sales for October 2026 will be released on Wednesday, November 18, 2026 at 10 a.m. Eastern.

The NAR Public Affairs Office issues a news release on or near the 20th of each month with the latest existing-home sales figures. The releases include analysis and quotes by NAR's Chief Economist Lawrence Yun regarding the sales volume, prices, inventory and interest rates.

NAR Research Data Release Dates