The U.S. housing market in September 2026 carried more supply than it has in years at the same time the two halves of it moved in different directions. Existing-home sales ran at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.99 million, up 1.5% from August, and 1.60 million homes were for sale — 4.8 months of supply, unchanged from August and up from 4.5 a year earlier. The median existing-home price was $417,500, up 1.3% year over year, the 39th straight month of annual gains, and the typical home sat 33 days on the market. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate was 6.86% in September, up from 6.35% a year earlier (Freddie Mac). New single-family home sales, the most recent national release, ran at 684,000 in August with 8.5 months of new-home supply. Both can be true at once: buyers have more to choose from, and sellers who price to the current set still get paid.
Each card below carries a number, what it means, the primary source, and the date it was verified. Use them in a listing appointment, a market update, or a report — and cite the source, not the rounded version.
National housing market numbers
New single-family homes sold in August 2026, seasonally adjusted annual rate — up 6.4% from July.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau & HUD · released 2026-09-24 · verified 2026-10-01
New-home supply at the August sales pace, down from 9.0 months in July.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau/HUD via FRED · updated 2026-09-24 · verified 2026-10-01
New homes on the market at the end of August 2026, virtually unchanged from July's 483,000, −2.0% from 493,000 a year earlier.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau & HUD · released 2026-09-24 · verified 2026-10-01
Median new-home sale price in August 2026, down 5.8% year over year.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau & HUD · released 2026-09-24 · verified 2026-10-01
Existing homes sold at the seasonally adjusted annual rate in September 2026 — up 1.5% from August and 2.2% below a year earlier.
Source: National Association of REALTORS® · released 2026-10-13 · verified 2026-10-16
Median existing-home price in September 2026, up 1.3% year over year — the 39th straight month of annual gains.
Source: National Association of REALTORS® · released 2026-10-13 · verified 2026-10-16
Existing homes for sale at the end of September 2026, up 1.9% from August and 4.6% from a year earlier.
Source: National Association of REALTORS® · released 2026-10-13 · verified 2026-10-16
Existing-home supply in September 2026, unchanged from August and up from 4.5 months a year earlier.
Source: National Association of REALTORS® · released 2026-10-13 · verified 2026-10-16
Median time on market in September 2026, up from 31 days in August and unchanged from September 2025.
Source: National Association of REALTORS® · released 2026-10-13 · verified 2026-10-16
Average 30-year fixed mortgage rate in September 2026, up from 6.67% in August and 6.35% a year earlier (Freddie Mac).
Source: National Association of REALTORS® (Freddie Mac) · released 2026-10-13 · verified 2026-10-16
Housing Affordability Index in September 2026, down from 106.7 a year earlier.
Source: National Association of REALTORS® · released 2026-10-13 · verified 2026-10-16
Regional medians in September 2026: Northeast $523,600 · Midwest $329,600 · South $361,000 · West $613,600 — the West is the only region down over the year, at 0.3%. The single-family median was $422,700 and the condo and co-op median $363,700. Source: National Association of REALTORS® · released 2026-10-13 · verified 2026-10-16.
Kept in Touch, “Housing market statistics,” keptintouch.com/resources/housing-market-statistics (September 2026 existing-home release published 2026-10-13; new-home release published 2026-09-24; page verified 2026-10-16). Data: National Association of REALTORS® (existing-home sales, inventory, supply, median price and median time on market, September 2026) and Freddie Mac via the same NAR release (average 30-year fixed mortgage rate, September 2026), plus U.S. Census Bureau and HUD (new-home sales, supply, inventory and median price, August 2026). Compiled by Kept in Touch (keptintouch.com): https://keptintouch.com/resources/housing-market-statistics#cite
How to use these numbers in a listing appointment
A national number is context, not a price. The seller's question is what their home will sell for against the homes a buyer would cross-shop. Put the two together: 4.8 months of existing-home supply tells a seller the market has choice, and the local competitive set tells them which choice a buyer makes. That is what a CMA built for the appointment shows on one screen — price against odds and supply — instead of a single number a seller can argue with.
For sellers who want to see the market before they list, start with the seller CMA. For the full pricing story you can present live, print and share, see listing presentation software.
FAQ
How much housing supply is there in the U.S. right now?
As of September 2026 there were 4.8 months of existing-home supply — unchanged from August and up from 4.5 months a year earlier — with 1.60 million existing homes for sale (National Association of REALTORS®). New-home supply stood at 8.5 months at the August sales pace (U.S. Census Bureau/HUD, via FRED).
Are home prices rising or falling?
They are moving in opposite directions by segment. The median existing-home price was $417,500 in September 2026, up 1.3% year over year — the 39th straight month of annual gains (NAR). The median new-home sale price was $393,700 in August 2026, down 5.8% year over year (Census/HUD).
How current are these housing market numbers?
Every figure on this page is linked to its primary release and stamped with the publication and verification date. The existing-home figures are from the National Association of REALTORS® release published 2026-10-13 and verified 2026-10-16; the new-home figures are from the U.S. Census Bureau and HUD release published 2026-09-24 and verified 2026-10-01.
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