Weekly Housing Headlines

Mortgage applications decreased 1.6% from one week earlier; home sales rose 2.7% year over year during the four weeks ending April 26; national home price growth continued to cool through February; new listing activity pulled back this week, inventory continues to build and asking prices are softening; serious delinquencies are ticking up and pressure from rising escrow costs is pushing up monthly payments; and affordability shows improvement across all top 100 U.S. housing markets.

Mortgage Applications Decrease in Latest MBA Weekly Survey
Mortgage Bankers Association - 4/29/2026
Mortgage applications decreased 1.6 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending April 24, 2026.

Home price growth continues to slow in February
Cotality - 4/28/2026
The S&P Cotality Case-Shiller Home Price Index showed national home price growth continuing to cool through February, with the U.S. National Index rising just 0.7% year over year, down from 0.8% in January.

Regional home price softening deepens in February
Scotsman Guide - 4/28/2026
The Federal Housing Finance Agency, which regulates Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, said house prices were unchanged from January to February and only 1.7% higher on a seasonally adjusted basis compared to one year ago.

Homebuying Demand Ticks Up, Mortgage Rates Tick Down
Redfin - 4/30/2026
Home sales rose 2.7% year over year during the four weeks ending April 26. More homeowners are putting their houses on the market, with new listings increasing for the second week in a row after five straight months of declines.

Weekly Housing Trends: U.S. Market Update (Week Ending April 25, 2026)
Realtor.com - 4/30/2026
New listing activity pulled back this week. However, inventory continues to build, asking prices are softening further and homes are still moving at a pace that’s keeping the market from tipping into stagnation.

10 things to know about the property market: April 2026
Cotality - 4/30/2026
The U.S. housing market is entering the second quarter with warning signs. Sellers are starting to cut list prices, serious delinquencies are ticking up and pressure from rising escrow costs is pushing up monthly payments.

Affordability improves across all top 100 U.S. housing markets
Mortgage Professional America - 4/28/2026
First American's February 2026 Real House Price Index showed an 11% annual gain in affordability and broad-based relief across major markets, even as home prices stayed near record highs.

Home sellers’ profits slide as rates bite and cash buyers retreat
Mortgage Professional America - 4/24/2026
Home sellers across the U.S. saw their margins compress again in early 2026 as higher borrowing costs and softer price growth continued to cool a once‑red‑hot market, according to ATTOM’s latest U.S. Home Sales Report.

Mortgage Delinquencies Fall In March While Prepayment Activity Hits Nearly Four-Year High
National Mortgage Professional - 4/24/2026
Seasonal improvement lowers early-stage delinquencies, but rising serious delinquencies and foreclosure activity signal growing late-cycle credit risk for originators.

Spring Thaw for Housing as New Listings Surge and Prices Continue 14-Week Slide
Realtor.com - 4/24/2026
New listing activity saw a dramatic 12.9% year-over-year jump for the week ending April 18. The surge offsets a 10% annual decline in new listings two weeks ago, which marked Easter this year.