Weekly Housing Headlines

Existing home sales rose 3.2% in May - the highest level since December; mortgage applications increased 10.8% from one week earlier; mortgage credit availability increased in May; sellers entering the market hit a six-year high in May, although homebuying demand remained flat; second-lien lending hit its highest first-quarter volume in 18 years as homeowners withdrew equity at the strongest first-quarter levels since 2021; and the median U.S. home-sale price hit a record $400,894 during the four weeks ending June 7.

Home sales surged in May to the highest level since December
CNBC - 6/9/2026
Existing home sales in May rose 3.2% from April to a seasonally adjusted, annualized rate of 4.17 million units, according to the National Association of Realtors. Economists were expecting less than a 1% gain.

Mortgage Applications Increase in Latest MBA Weekly Survey
Mortgage Bankers Association - 6/10/2026
Mortgage applications increased 10.8 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association's Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending June 5, 2026.

Mortgage Credit Availability Increased in May
Mortgage Bankers Association - 6/9/2026
Mortgage credit availability increased in May according to the Mortgage Credit Availability Index, a report from the MBA that analyzes data from ICE Mortgage Technology.

U.S. buyer’s market hits its strongest point in years, Redfin data shows
Mortgage Professional America - 6/10/2026
Sellers entering the market hit a six-year high in May, while homebuying demand remained flat. The gap widened slightly from 46.4% in April, though it remains below the December 2025 peak of 49.5 percent.

Rising Rates Stall Housing Market Momentum Just After Closed Home Sales Hit Highest Level Since 2022
Redfin - 6/8/2026
U.S. existing-home sales jumped 2.8% month over month in May to their highest level since October 2022, according to a new report from Redfin.

Homeowners tap equity at fastest first-quarter pace since 2021
Scotsman Guide - 6/8/2026
Second-lien lending hit its highest first-quarter volume in 18 years as homeowners withdrew equity at the strongest pace since 2021.

The spring market is improving, but it is still 18% below normal on buyers and sellers
Mortgage Professional America - 6/9/2026
Existing-home sales are expected to rise modestly in May for the second consecutive month, according to first American. The projected increase of 0.3% from April is encouraging for spring, but the broader picture remains well below pre-pandemic levels.

Household worries over finances hit highest level since July 2022, New York Fed survey shows
CNBC - 6/8/2026
U.S. households grew more worried over their financial situation, with the share of those seeing things as much worse than they were 12 months ago hitting a nearly four-year high, according to a Federal Reserve Bank of New York survey.

Weekly Housing Trends: U.S. Market Update (Week Ending June 6, 2026)
Realtor.com - 6/11/2026
Homes are selling at the same pace as a year ago for the second week in a row, signaling that buyer demand is holding steady despite an uncertain economic backdrop. On the supply side, inventory continues to modestly outpace year-ago levels.

Record Home Prices, High Mortgage Rates Push Pending Sales Down for Fourth Straight Week
Redfin - 6/11/2026
The median U.S. home-sale price hit a record $400,894 during the four weeks ending June 7, up 1.5% year over year. That marks the first time the typical American existing home has sold for over $400,000. Monthly payments are historically high, too.