According to the National Association of Realtors, sales reached 3.98 million, while months' supply of 4.9 is the highest in over ten years.
According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), existing-home sales in the United States decreased by 2.0% in August 2026, to 3.98 million. Sales held steady in the West and declined in the Northeast, Midwest and South compared with the previous month. Year on year they were unchanged in the South and lower in the other three regions. NAR's snapshot puts inventory at 1.62 million homes and prices up 1.6%.
NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said mortgage rates and home sales move in opposite directions, so a mild dip in activity is not surprising given high mortgage rates. He noted that sales are still up 1.6% year to date through the first eight months, supported by rising wages (up 3.1% in August) and 643,000 net new jobs since the start of the year.
Yun said that the number of months it would take to exhaust the inventory at the current pace has grown to 4.9 months' supply, the highest in over ten years, which gives buyers better opportunities to negotiate. The NAR report covers existing homes, including condos and co-ops, across the US. The next release, for September, is due on 13 October 2026.