-2.3%

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Pending home sales fell to the lowest level since January 2026. Month over month sales in July 2026 decreased by 2.3% and by 2.2% year over year. Month over month pending home sales declined across all four major U.S. Regions.

“The highest mortgage rates of the year hit right in the middle of summer, and that's pulling back contract signings,” said NAR Chief Economist Dr. Lawrence Yun. “Home prices are at record highs so houses for sale are sitting on the market longer, and fewer buyers are bidding above the asking price than a year ago, though there are large local market variations.”

Yun continued, “Job gains should bring more buyers into the market, especially if mortgage rates stabilize or decline, though that impact takes time to show up,” Yun said. “Right now, pending contracts are 30% below their pre-pandemic 2019 level, while payroll employment is 5% above. That gap points to sizable pent-up demand that should be unleashed in the coming years as more supply reaches the market and affordability improves.”

Read the full news release.

Next release: Pending Home Sales for August 2026 will be released on Thursday, September 10, 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.

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Pending Home Sales for August 2026 will be released on Thursday, September 10, 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