Housing markets

Contract closings decreased 1.7% in July to an annualized rate of 4.06 million, according to National Association of Realtors figures released Tuesday.

The new record arrives after five months of annual home-price growth, which surged to its highest in more than a year, according to ICE Mortgage Technology.

The average down payment across the list was 17.1%, well above 13.1% nationally, and the median credit score was 766, compared with 747 countrywide.

The markets mostly believe the jobs report put the damper on a September hike, but some still think the Federal Open Market Committee is likely to raise first.

July sales rose 7% compared with the previous year, but a 7.7% drop in pending listings indicates future loan volume is drying up, according to Zillow.

Incomes have been rising faster than what buyers need to earn to afford one of these homes, but the annual gain began shrinking in January, Redfin found.

An industry sentiment index hit a new low, with 45% of investors saying the current business environment has worsened compared to a year ago.

About 7% of Zillow's workforce was let go, one of the steepest cuts in company history, trailing a 25% slice following the closing of Zillow Offers in 2021.

The deal wraps up the transformation efforts Radian announced when it agreed to acquire specialty insurer Inigo and divest the non-mortgage insurance units.

By region, the Northeast — where the supply of homes has been tighter than some other areas — saw the biggest price gain, with the median for an existing single-family home rising 3.8% over the year to $547,200.

The market is bifurcated into those looking for affordable housing outside of metropolitan cores and high-end buyers prioritizing lifestyle. Still, both groups are looking south.

The homebuilder's net income for the second quarter was half of what it was a year ago but a seasonal lift improved results relative to the first quarter.

While buyers' leverage now spans 41 of the 50 largest metros, starter-home sales fell 5.4% amid affordability concerns.

Economic uncertainty is turning into 2026's defining theme that dictates housing market trends, according to over one-third of lenders surveyed by HomeLight.

While U.S. home values fell in real terms for the 12th consecutive month, voices say slow inventory growth has flipped the script away from the south and towards east metros.

Home price growth is accelerating as inventory stalls—Chicago and Pittsburgh lead mid-tier gains at 4.2%, while Denver and Las Vegas see supply-driven price corrections.

Purchases of new single-family homes increased 1.6% last month to an annualized rate of 628,000, data released Friday by the federal government showed.

ICE data reveals home value growth hit a 15-month high, prompting originators to target resilient markets like upstate New York and pivot focus toward single-family inventory.

Sentiment towards the presence of the structures backing AI development varies by generation, but a growing number of buyers are raising questions, Redfin says.

The homebuilder posted net income of $472 million, or $2.48 per share, down from $608 million but still more than analysts expectations of $2.36 per share.