Weekly Housing Headlines

Mortgage applications decreased 10.5% from one week earlier; sales of newly built single-family homes slumped more than 17% on a seasonally adjusted monthly basis in January; 1 in 5 sellers slashed prices in 9 major metros in February; the average rate for a 30-year loan climbed to 6.38%, the highest since September 2025 and up from 6.22% last week; and there were 630,000 more home sellers than buyers in February – the biggest gap on record.

Mortgage Applications Decrease in Latest MBA Weekly Survey
Mortgage Bankers Association - 3/25/2026
Mortgage applications decreased 10.5 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending March 20, 2026.

New-home sales and prices weaken broadly in January
Scotsman Guide - 3/20/2026
Sales of newly built single-family homes slumped more than 17% on a seasonally adjusted monthly basis in January, according to figures published by the U.S. Census Bureau and Department of Housing and Urban Development.

1 in 5 Five Sellers in Multiple Markets Is Slashing Prices
Realtor.com - 3/25/2026
Sellers are slashing prices, with 1 in 5 homes seeing a price reduction across nine metros in February. These all had a price-cut share of 20% or more – led by Phoenix–Mesa–Chandler, AZ, where 28.2% of listings were marked down.

Mortgage Rates Jump To 6.38% As War Rattles Housing Market
Financial Advisor - 3/26/2026
The average rate for 30-year, fixed loans climbed to 6.38%, the highest since September 2025 and up from 6.22% last week, according to data from Freddie Mac Thursday.

There Are 630,000 More Home Sellers Than Buyers — the Biggest Gap on Record
Redfin - 3/23/2026
There were an estimated 46.3% more home sellers than buyers in the U.S. housing market in February (or 629,808 more, in numerical terms), according to a new report from Redfin.

Mortgage Application Payments Decreased in February
Mortgage Bankers Association - 3/26/2026
Homebuyer affordability improved in February, with the national median payment applied for by purchase applicants decreasing to $2,061 from $2,070 in January.

Redfin Reports 14% of Home-Sale Agreements Fell Through Last Month — A Record for February
Redfin - 3/24/2026
More than 42,000 U.S. home-sale agreements fell through in February, equal to 13.7% of homes that went under contract that month. That’s up from 12.8% a year earlier, and the highest February share in records dating back to 2017.

Weekly Housing Trends: U.S. Market Update (Week Ending March 21, 2026)
Realtor.com - 3/26/2026
Increasing inventory and softening prices are offering buyers more advantages this spring. Though mortgage rates have ticked up recently, they remain at their most favorable springtime levels since 2022.

10 things to know about the property market: March 2026
Cotality - 3/26/2026
The U.S. housing market is finding its equilibrium. Home price growth has stabilized, and unsold inventory is growing. However, there are still distinct regional divergences, and a substantial amount of untapped wealth remains.

Value of Household Real Estate Assets Fall for Second Straight Quarter
Eye on Housing - 3/20/2026
The market value of household real estate assets fell for the second consecutive quarter to $47.9 trillion in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to the most recent release of U.S. Federal Reserve Z.1 Financial Accounts.