Existing-home sales tick up to 3.99 million, and the median price gain slows to 1.3%
NAR's September report shows closings edged up, but those contracts were written before rates hit 7%. Inventory reached 4.8 months of supply and homes took 33 days to sell.
The numbers
Existing-home sales rose 1.5% in September 2026 to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.99 million, the National Association of Realtors reported on October 13. Sales were 2.2% below September 2025's 4.08 million pace. The median existing-home sale price was $417,500, up 1.3% from $412,300 a year earlier, the 39th month in a row with a yearly gain.
Read the gain with care. Closings in September mostly came from contracts signed in July and August, when Freddie Mac's 30-year rate was near 6.7%. Contracts signed in September, at 7% and up, fell 7.3% to a record low (NAR, October 20). The slowdown shows up in the closing numbers later this year.
The numbers behind the headline
| September 2026 | Value | A year earlier |
|---|---|---|
| Homes for sale | 1.60 million | +4.6% |
| Months of supply | 4.8 | 4.5 |
| Median days on market | 33 | 33 |
| First-time buyers | 31% | 30% |
| Cash sales | 27% | 30% |
| Investors and second-home buyers | 20% | lower |
| Distressed sales | 2% | 2% |
Source: NAR, Existing-Home Sales, September 2026, released October 13, 2026.
Regions moved in different directions
The Northeast had the biggest price gain, a median of $523,600, up 4.7%, even as its sales fell 4.1% from a year earlier. The West had the weakest sales, down 5.2%, and the only falling regional median, $613,600, down 0.3%. The Midwest median rose 3.1% to $329,600, and the South was nearly flat at $361,000, up 0.2%.
NAR's chief economist Lawrence Yun said that "higher inventory and lengthening days on market give buyers improved negotiating power," and that sellers may need to be realistic about price.
What 4.8 months of supply means
Months of supply is how long the current inventory would last at the current sales pace. Six months is the traditional balanced-market line; under that favors sellers. At 4.8 months nationally, up from 4.5 a year earlier, the market still leans toward sellers on paper, while many local markets are already balanced or past it.
What to tell your clients
Sellers: national prices are still edging up, 1.3% a year, but that is national and it is closings from summer. Your local months of supply and the last 90 days of sales in your neighborhood are what set your price.
Buyers: 4.8 months of supply and 33 days on market mean you can see a home twice, get an inspection and negotiate. One in three buyers in September was a first-time buyer.
Today's numbers
Where the market stands now
The story above is dated October 21, 2026. These update on their own as the publishers release new data.
Questions
Quick answers
How many existing homes sold in September 2026?
Existing-home sales ran at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.99 million, up 1.5% from August and down 2.2% from a year earlier, per NAR.
What is the median existing-home price?
$417,500 in September 2026, up 1.3% from a year earlier, per NAR.
Is it a buyer's or seller's market?
Nationally, 4.8 months of supply (September 2026) is still under the six-month balanced line, up from 4.5 a year earlier. Many local markets are already balanced; check yours.
Sources
- National Association of Realtors, “Existing-Home Sales Increased 1.5% in September, According to NAR Report,” October 13, 2026. www.nar.realtor
- National Association of Realtors, “Pending Home Sales Decreased 7.3% in September,” October 20, 2026. www.nar.realtor
- Freddie Mac, “Primary Mortgage Market Survey, weekly history,” October 15, 2026. www.freddiemac.com
Written by the AgentCOS News Desk in our own words from the sources above. Numbers are as published on the dates shown; publishers sometimes revise them later.